


Code Red

by BlimeyOhLimey



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-02 06:40:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 23,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20271586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlimeyOhLimey/pseuds/BlimeyOhLimey
Summary: It’s the 1940s. Waverly Earp has been assigned to work as a translator at a top secret location outside London. There she meets Flight Officer Nicole (Nikki) Haught, Head of Hut 4, where Waverly will be working.Can love blossom in the midst of secrets and scandals….





	1. Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Fan fic number 4...(Hut 4). 
> 
> Actually, there really was a Hut 4, assigned to translation at Bletchley Park. I've walked around the buildings and imagined the stories of people who were there...hearing their chatter, their buzz of an era gone. 
> 
> I can see Waverly and Nicole. The threads of their life together woven into history...

Ladies and gentlemen, new recruits, welcome to the House of Secrets. Or, as we like to call it here: Station X. 

The new recruits sat listening nervously to a uniformed gentleman at the front of the room, as he explained what their new job would entail. Waverly Earp was in the third row, busy taking notes, desperately attempting to keep up with all the new information. She was intelligent, had several European languages to her name, yet what she was hearing was more than she could take in.

The uniformed gentleman at the front finished his presentation. He motioned to someone at the side of the room, who exited immediately. A few moments later they returned, followed by a tall woman with the most distinctive red hair Waverly had ever seen. Wearing a beautifully tailored blue officer’s uniform, she proceeded to join the uniformed gentleman at the front. “May I introduce Flight Officer Haught, Head of Hut 4, our Translation Unit. She will be in charge of some of you during your time here. When I call your name, you will stand and follow Flight Officer Haught.”

The uniformed gentleman proceeded to call out a list of names. There was a shuffling in the hall, as people began to stand, gathering up items they had brought with them. Waverly struggled to hear the names being called out, slightly disappointed her name hadn’t been called, as the last person stood. “I have four additional names to call. You will be Special Assistants to Flight Officer Haught: Felicity Ambridge, Ann Carter, Waverly Earp, Christine Nedley. Can you make your way to Hut 4. Good luck everyone.”

The group siphoned out of the hall, into the grounds, walking in single file behind the tall officer to their new workplace. “This is all rather exciting,” the girl behind Waverly exclaimed, as they moved along the gravel path. “I’m Christine Nedley, Chrissy for short. You must be Waverly Earp. Such a pretty name.”

Waverly turned briefly to look at the girl behind her. She had a rosy complexion, slightly fuller in frame. She looked friendly. Waverly knew they would be friends.

“Keep up,” Flight Officer Haught shouted, as the group struggled to match her brisk pace.

“I wonder what we’ll be doing?” Chrissy asked, failing to walk fast, hampered by the large leather suitcase she was carrying.

“I hear it’s all hush, hush,” Waverly replied, her back to Chrissy. “We’re not supposed to talk about it.”

“We’re talking about it,” Chrissy remarked, making Waverly giggle. She definitely liked this girl. 

Hut 4 was located close to the large house in whose grounds the Secret Intelligence Service had chosen to base its operations. Known officially as Bletchley Park, it had been purchased by SIS because of its geographical centrality, being in the middle of England. Immediately adjacent to Bletchley Railway Station, it was midpoint on the Varsity Line between Oxford and Cambridge universities, where many of the current workers at Station X had been educated. 

Waverly and Chrissy entered the hut, not sure what to expect. It was light, spacious, wooden in construction, solid oak desks lined up in rows, dark green leather chairs at each. A larger desk was positioned at the far end, where Flight Officer Haught set down a number of manila-coloured folders she had been carrying. Waverly could just make out a red stamp in the right hand corner of the uppermost file. It read: Top Secret.

Her heart fluttered at those words. She really was doing something ‘rather exciting’ for once in her life. The desks were clear, apart from an in-tray and a collection of pencils, laid neatly in each tray.

“Find a desk.” Haught instructed, as the group filed into the hut. “I will be your point of reference for the duration of your stay here. Any questions, come to me. Any concerns, come to me. Any problems, I’d rather you didn’t come to me, but do. The work is hard, the hours long, but you are doing something of immense importance. I cannot stress enough, your work is top secret. You do not talk to anyone outside Station X about what you do here. If anyone asks, you say clerical work. Good luck everyone.”

Waverly and Chrissy made their way to a couple of empty desks near the front. Waverly set her case and handbag down, placing her coat on the back of the chair. Having just got herself settled, Haught called out the four surnames of her Special Assistants and asked them to approach her desk. “Welcome to Station X,” she said in a slightly softer tone than the one she had been using. “I know this is all new to you, but it’s immense fun and I hope it will be rewarding for you. Miss Earp and Miss Nedley, you will be staying with me at my house in the village. Miss Ambridge and Miss Carter, you are also in the village at a house of one of my colleagues.” 

It was at that point, Flight Officer Haught looked up and saw Waverly. Her eyes widened, taking in this girl who would come to be an essential part of her close team. Quickly moving her gaze onto the other members, she smiled acknowledging their presence. “We start 8am sharp, finish 6pm each day. Lunch is from 12 noon to 1pm. I expect punctuality. Please go back to your seats, we have a long day ahead of us.”

At that, Waverly made her way to her desk. She was now a code-breaker.


	2. Stimulation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly gets to see what she will be doing in her new role...

In an era when intelligence was not appreciated, or used for that matter, in women, the work Waverly and her fellow linguists were doing, was pioneering. That there were senior female officers in the Royal Air Force, known as: Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, or WAAF, was equally exceptional. This was a time when a woman’s place was most assuredly in the home. It was considered a slur on her husband if his wife worked, a slight on his manhood, an indication he was unable to provide for his own family. The trousered women of the WAAF were a new breed. Strong, independent and Flight Officer Haught was most definitely one of them.

Initially, it was considered unseemly to have women do a man’s job, especially one that required using her brain. It was perfectly acceptable for a woman to perform manual tasks, requiring little or no thought. Leave the thinking to men, was the ingrained attitude of this period. 

Waverly had other ideas. Her family had left America, moving around Europe where she gained her knowledge of different European languages. Clever enough to gain a place at university, she had studied French and German and had a reasonable understanding of Italian and Spanish. She had found work as a clerk typist in the Civil Service, where she caught the eye of one of the managers, who recognised her exceptional linguistic talents. Approached by one of the inner circle at Bletchley Park, she was only too happy to become involved in something that would be both exciting and stimulating for her mind. The thought of moving out of her parent’s house and relocating beyond London was also something she was looking forward to. A chance to stand, by herself, without the assistance of any man. 

“I wonder what’s for lunch?” Chrissy whispered from the desk beside Waverly. “Probably, some fatty piece of meat, if we’re lucky, given rationing.”

Waverly looked at the large clock on the wall behind Haught’s desk. It was 10.17am. Ages to go till they got something to eat. She suddenly felt hungry, having skipped breakfast to get to Station X in time. Rationing was certainly a problem. A shortage of food meant everything had to be weighed, then marked off in a ration book, the little there was to go round. She craved chocolate more than anything. She had briefly considered sleeping with any American soldier, who seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of this scarce luxury, just to get a taste. Thankfully, she had not had to face such a dilemma. In fact, she had never slept with anyone. She had been asked out by Mr James Hardy, a respectable civil servant where she worked previously. They had dated, held hands, kissed on a few occasions. It was all quite amicable. He was disappointed when she announced her relocation, but accepted she had to go, if her linguistic talents were required. They promised to write to each other regularly.

A siren sounded at 12 noon, informing everyone the lunch period had begun. They were instructed to make their way to the mess hut, where a queue had already formed. Waverly and Chrissy stood waiting to be served, each holding a tray. As they approached the front of the queue, a person served them a ladle of unidentifiable stew and two slices of white bread, no butter. Another server handed them a mug of weak tea. 

“I’ll die of starvation, here,” Chrissy muttered, as she moved away to find them a table. Waverly really did like this girl’s natural comedic approach to life. Both sat, eating, watching as other workers came and went. Waverly spotted Haught enter the dining area, approaching a table at the far end, kissing one man on the cheek, making her way to the queue for food. For some reason Waverly felt disappointed seeing this public display of affection. She couldn’t place why. There was something about this woman that drew her to look. The way she moved, her confidence, her ability to hold herself like any man. 

“Do you think there’s anything for dessert?” Chrissy asked, interrupting Waverly who was lost in thought. Waverly smiled. Haught was right, she could tell this place was going to be immense fun.

After a brief stroll around the grounds, Chrissy still moaning about there being no dessert, they returned to their hut at 12.55pm. Haught was already back at her desk and Waverly felt awkward returning with her boss already hard at work. Haught looked up as she entered, smiling at her, before returning to the work in front of her. Waverly had smiled back.

Messengers came and went throughout the afternoon. The task of linguists in Hut 4 was to translate messages that had been decoded in Hut 8. It was hard, punishing, relentless work, if Waverly cared to admit, but also the first time she had got to use her brain for anything other than choosing what outfit to wear to work. The atmosphere in the hut was studious, quiet. She occasionally looked up at Haught, who was absorbed in whatever she was doing, intense concentration on her face. What was it about this woman?

Another siren sounded at 6pm to announce the end of the day. Haught looked up from her work, her eyes tired. “Leave nothing on your desks. Bring all you are working on to me,” she instructed. “When your desks are clear, you may leave. Please be back 8am tomorrow. Have a good evening.”

Having deposited their work, the members of Hut 4 made their way out. Haught watched as Waverly approached, placing the translations she had been working on in a pile on the desk. “If you and Miss Nedley wait, I’ll accompany you to the house.”

Waverly felt that flutter in her stomach again. 

The three made their way out of the grounds towards the station. It was one stop to the village. There was a train waiting as they entered and Haught motioned for them to board. It was busy, but they managed to find seats in one of the carriages. “How did you find your first day?” Haught asked, as the train began to move.

“Thoroughly enjoyable,” Chrissy answered, her stomach rumbling.

“And you, Miss Earp. How did you find it?”

“Stimulating,” was the only word she could think of to sum up everything that had happened.

She could see Haught considering her response. A look that said, she approved.

The train pulled into the next station. They headed to the exit, making the short walk to the house they would be sharing for however long their services were needed. It was warm, homely, if somewhat dark, given the blackout screens on every window to stop light escaping. Haught motioned for them to enter, closing the door, turning on the light. A soft amber glow illuminated the hallway, welcoming them to their new home. “I’ll show you to your rooms and let you settle,” Haught said, pointing towards the stairs. “Dinner will be on the table in half an hour. I hope that gives you enough time.”

She moved off, leading the way up a flight of stairs, pointing to a door immediately on their right at the top of the stairs which was the bathroom. Chrissy had the bedroom at the end of the corridor. She looked pleased on entering a spacious room, tastefully decorated. Up a second flight of stairs was Waverly’s room. Equally spacious, boasting a metal-framed, double bed directly opposite the door. Waverly looked shocked on entry. She had only ever slept in a single bed at home. Double beds were reserved for married couples.

“Are you OK?” Haught asked, seeing the look on Waverly’s face.

“Yes, fine. Thank you,” Waverly replied, suddenly not quite sure of her surroundings.

“I’ll leave you to settle. I’ll be downstairs.” Haught offered, closing the door behind her.

This would be Waverly’s new life.


	3. Slacks (Trousers)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly and Chrissy spend their first evening at Nicole's home....

The delicious aroma of home-cooked food greeted Waverly as she entered the dining room. Chrissy was already seated at the table, looking desperate to start eating, knowing it would be rude to do so. They could hear Nicole's voice talking to someone in the hall. “Thank you Mavis, I’ll tell the girls where to leave their laundry for you.”

Nicole entered the room, moving to a seat at the top of the table. She had changed for dinner. A pair of wide-flowing, pleated slacks, light grey in colour, were matched with a delicate mid-blue silk shirt. Very stylish, very modern thought Waverly, as she studied Nicole’s form in the new clothes. Women simply didn’t wear trousers before the 1940s. It wasn’t until they started working in factories, doing men’s work, they became part of their wardrobe, for safety reasons. At first, they wore men’s trousers, but a growing workforce of women meant they eventually had to be tailored to their shape. Easier to work in than a skirt or dress, which could get caught in machinery. They quickly became part of everyday fashion, especially with the younger generation.

She had let her hair down, which had been tied back during the day. Gorgeous red curls fell over her shoulders. Did this woman know how stunning she looked, Waverly mused, as she sat gazing at her new boss. She was interrupted by Chrissy offering her a plate of cut ham from which she had just taken two slices. “I don’t really eat meat,” Waverly hesitated, putting the plate down beside her.

Chrissy looked confused. She had a very healthy appetite, as Waverly was beginning to realise. The thought of not eating meat simply didn’t register with her. How could someone not eat meat? she thought. It’s meat, as in meat.

“What are your food preferences?” Nicole asked, wanting to make sure the girls felt welcome in her home.

“I eat vegetables, cheese, just not very keen on meat or fish,” Waverly replied, looking at Nicole apologetically.

“No fish!” Chrissy exclaimed, a little too loudly, as everyone looked at her. “Sorry,” realising her incredulity had got the better of her. “Please tell me you eat dessert?” she asked, sending Waverly into a fit of giggles. Nicole sat at the other end of the table, smiling, listening to Waverly’s laughter. This girl was going to grow on her. 

The meal over, Nicole went to the fireplace and took out a cigarette from a silver box on the mantelpiece. “You don’t mind if I smoke, do you?” she asked, lighting it, taking a long drag, exhaling smoke in a long sigh. “Do either of you smoke?” she asked, after a few moments silence.

“No,” both said together.

“I tried one once,” Chrissy added. “Not for me.”

“Good for you,” Nicole replied. “Bad habit. So hard to break. And, so difficult to get them nowadays,” she said, taking another drag. “So, let me tell you why you are part of my special team,” she began, returning to the table, a glass ashtray in her hand. “You both were identified as having exceptional, dare I say, near perfect language skills, which are in short supply these days. Chrissy, your German is impeccable. Waverly, your French is exquisite.”

“My family spent time in France," Waverly explained. "Near Toulouse in the south west. I miss it deeply.”

“I know that area well,” Nicole remarked, taking a final drag on the cigarette before extinguishing it in the ashtray. “In fact, it is one of the reasons you were chosen to be part of my team.”

Waverly looked confused. She had assumed her assignment to Station X was due only to her ability to speak French. Nicole was suggesting her local knowledge of the area around Toulouse would also be of use. She chose not to pursue this line of thought for the moment, trusting that Nicole would inform her as and when on what this meant. 

“You can call me Nicole in the house, or Nikki which I prefer, but we need to remain professional at work. It’s Flight Officer Haught or ma'am at BP. I will need to call you by your surnames. No familiarity outside this house, sadly. Do you have any preferences on what I call you here?” she enquired.

“I like to be called Chrissy.”

“My family call me Waves.”

"I like that," Nicole replied, getting up from the table to retrieve another cigarette. “Girls, breakfast is at 7am, sharp. Alan usually swings by at 7.45am, so we can get a lift with him. Please feel free to use the lounge. There’s a radio and record player. I have a reasonable selection of music. Not too loud, mind. I also have books and magazines, if you fancy something to read.” She moved towards the door, an unlit cigarette in her hand. Pausing before exiting, she turned to the girls. “I hope you enjoy your time here. I need to get on with some work in my study. Do knock if you need anything. See you in the morning.” And with that, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Waverly and Chrissy sat in silence for a few moments, Chrissy collecting the last crumbs around her plate of a piece of fruit cake she had had for dessert. “You do know who Alan is, don’t you?” Chrissy offered, taking a sip of her tea.

“No,” Waverly replied, wondering if it was the same man Nicole had kissed on the cheek at lunch.

“Only, Alan Turing, as in The Alan Turing, the maths whizz. The one who cracked the codes we were working on today. Well, well, well. Nikki and Alan sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” Chrissy sang, a large grin on her face.

“Do you think they’re together?” Waverly asked, thinking it was sort of exciting if they were, but also feeling slightly odd about it.

“We’ll find out tomorrow morning,” Chrissy winked, getting up from the table. “Race you to the lounge. I’m dying to hear some music.”

The girls spent an hour in the lounge, chatting, listening to jazz. Chrissy danced by herself in the middle of the room, caught up in the sounds coming from the record player. Waverly sat in one of the comfortable armchairs flicking through a magazine. It was pleasant, homely, relaxing after the long first day they had just had. At 9pm, Chrissy said she needed to sleep and made her way out of the room. Waverly agreed, saying she would follow in a few moments, having become engrossed in a story in the magazine she had open on her lap. A door by the bottom of the stairs was partially open, as she passed. She could see Nicole sitting at a large desk, silhouetted by a desk lamp, her back to the door. She could hear her talking to someone on the telephone. 

“I understand. I know this is critical for the mission. Yes, top priority. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Goodnight Alan.”

Waverly heard the phone click as Nikki put down the receiver. She appeared to be scribbling something on a pad in front of her. She paused, rubbing her eyes, getting up from the desk and turning, spotting Waverly outside. She approached the door, opening it slightly as if to invite her in. She smiled, holding her gaze on Waverly, but clearly lost in thought. “Goodnight, I hope you sleep well,” she said, closing the door.


	4. Sarah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The work at Bletchley Park (Station X) continues.....

Unlike Chrissy, Waverly found it hard sleeping in a new house and a double bed all to herself. It was so new, strange, unsettling. She loved the idea of being somewhere different, out in the bigger world, appreciated for what she had to offer beyond her physical beauty. Brains over breasts. 

The smell of bacon greeted her as she came downstairs. Chrissy was already at the table tucking in. “Hope you don’t mind me starting without you. This bacon is excellent. Try some.”

Waverly looked at Chrissy trying to work out if she was being funny, or still couldn’t get her head round the fact she didn’t consume meat. She sat at the table, buttering two slices of toast.

Nicole was nowhere to be seen. They finished breakfast, collected coats and handbags from their rooms and waited in the lounge. Nicole finally made an appearance just before 7.45am. She had her uniform on, which Waverly got to admire again in all its finery. What is it about people in uniform? she wondered. Nicole really did look amazing in it. It transformed her from the glamorous film-star, who had made an appearance at dinner the night before, into someone who oozed confidence. The sex appeal remained, but it now had a sharp, metallic edge to it. Waverly felt unsettled. 

“You girls sleep well?” she asked, not waiting for an answer, grabbing a handful of unopened letters from a side table. “We need to get going. Alan doesn’t like waiting outside too long.” Turning, she rushed out of the room. The girls followed. 

A black Sunbeam-Talbot saloon sat outside the house, its engine running. Waverly looked in amazement, as she exited the house. She had only ever ridden in one car previously for a family funeral. This was something else. Sleek, sexy, not at all what she expected a maths whizz to drive. Nicole opened the front passenger door, beckoning the girls to get in the rear. As they did, Waverly saw her kiss Alan on the cheek. He looked pleased to see her. “Alan, this is Miss Earp and Miss Nedley, part of my new team.”

Alan briefly turned his head to smile, nodding in acknowledgement of the girls in the rear, not uttering a word.

“I’ve gone over the calculations you sent me,” Nicole said, as the car moved off. “I must say, they are genius. I would never have thought to do it that way,” she continued, a look of appreciation on her face. Alan remained silent.

It was only a short drive from the village to the station. The car swept into the driveway, making its way to a covered parking area just behind the main house. They exited the car, Nicole straightening the collar of Alan’s shirt, which was sticking out at a curious angle, saying she would see him at lunch. They walked towards Hut 4. The start of another long day.

Chrissy tugged Waverly’s arm, in a bid to hold her back a little, in order to speak out of earshot of Flight Officer Haught. “Told you. K-i-s-s-i-n-g!” she giggled.

“You’re incorrigible,” Waverly replied, unable to stop herself from giggling as well.

“I would be, if I knew what that meant,” both girls now giggling uncontrollably.

Nicole turned her head briefly to see what the gaggle of girls she had with her were laughing about. Deciding it wasn’t worth her asking the reason, she shook her head, carrying on along the gravel path. Chrissy shot Waverly a look that said, ‘oops,’ before both resumed their giggling. Happy days.

The second day was just as busy. Messengers filing in at regular intervals, hundreds of new messages to translate. A tea trolley came round at 10am, much to Chrissy’s relief. There were biscuits. Nicole sat at her desk, head down, working intensely on something, brow furrowed. Waverly couldn’t help but admire her work ethic. This woman was everything she hoped to be. Powerful, determined, focused. Why couldn’t the world outside Station X be like this? she pondered, realising Nicole had looked up from her work and had caught her day dreaming. She was smiling at her. Waverly smiled back.

The lunch siren sounded. Chrissy was up immediately, eager to get to the mess hut for whatever was on today’s menu. As Waverly got up to follow Chrissy, Nicole called over, asking her to stay behind. Waverly motioned to Chrissy to go on ahead, realising this girl may just possibly die on her if she didn’t get lunch, soon. She approached Nicole’s desk, the two of them waiting patiently as the other members of Hut 4 shuffled out.

Alone at last, Nicole got up from her desk, walking round to be on the same side as Waverly. “I’m sorry I was a little off this morning,” she began, pausing to gather her thoughts and consider the direction she wanted to take this conversation. “There’s a big project Alan and I are working on.” Another pause. “It’s Top Secret, critical to a mission we have been involved in for six months. I may be a little distant at times. Please forgive me.”

Waverly could see she genuinely meant what she was saying. That’s really sweet, she thought to herself. “No, that’s absolutely fine. I know what you do is terribly important.”

Nicole smiled, motioning for them to exit the hut. As they made their way to the lunch hall, Nicole looked at Waverly briefly. “That’s a very pretty dress you have on.”

Waverly felt strange.

Chrissy had saved her a seat. She motioned for Waverly to join the group at the table, having collected her lunch. There was chatting, laughter, one girl sitting quietly in the middle, who Waverly instantly felt her heart go out to. She smiled at her when they caught each other’s eye. “So, what was that all about?” Chrissy asked, shovelling a rather large spoonful of mashed potato into her mouth. 

“Oh, nothing really. Just that there’s a project and it’s quite important. I think we’re part of it.”

A girl opposite Waverly held out her hand. “I’m Sarah. But, you can call me Bunty,” she introduced. “I’m in Hut 4 too.” 

“Pleased to meet you,” Waverly replied, shaking hands. 

“It’s all rather good fun,” Bunty offered, looking just as happy as Chrissy did in this environment. 

Finishing their lunch, Chrissy and Waverly took a quick stroll before returning to their desks. “OK, so tell me you know who Bunty is?” Chrissy asked, as they rounded a corner near the lake.

“No idea,” Waverly replied, beginning to wonder how Chrissy knew everyone at Station X.

“That’s only the Honourable, Lady Sarah Norton, as in…”

“The who?” Waverly replied, still no idea who this person was Chrissy was referring to.

“I mean, do you not read Vogue?” Chrissy teased, finishing the last of the bread roll she had taken with her for the short journey back to the hut.

Waverly had to admit she didn’t. She knew Station X had a preference for persons from the upper social strata, but assumed this meant bright sparks who had been educated at the top two universities in the country, namely Oxford and Cambridge. In reality, it meant the recruitment process erred towards selecting female recruits from trusted connections to the elite, debutantes considered trustworthy due to their upper class backgrounds. It was only later women with middle-class backgrounds, such as Waverly and Chrissy, were considered. There was still a preference for women with degrees, given the rigorous mental challenge of the job before them. Cleverness over connections. And what was it with everyone having pet names, Waverly pondered, attempting to work out how someone with a name like Sarah could call herself ‘Bunty.’ She had so much to learn.

Nicole was still engrossed in her work as the siren sounded for end of day. Members of Hut 4 dutifully deposited their unfinished work on her desk, before heading home. Waverly and Chrissy were the last to add their work to the pile. They hovered around the desk, assuming the three of them would leave together, as they had done on the first day. Nicole was oblivious to their presence. Whatever she was working on had her in its grips. She was frantically scribbling calculations. Chrissy coughed to let her know they were there. Looking up, utterly lost in what she was doing, she realised their presence. It took her a few moments to bring herself back into the room. “Sorry, yes,” she said, not realising why the girls were standing in front of her desk.

“Are we getting the train together?” Chrissy asked, not knowing if this would be the routine for departure going forward.

“Yes, sorry. What time is it?” Nicole asked, not quite knowing what she was being asked.

“Six,” Waverly offered, recognising Nicole was beyond tired. “Shall we make our way home?”

“Yes. Good. Thank you,” Nicole replied. “I’ll see you there.”

Chrissy and Waverly made their own way to the house, glad to be leaving Station X. Waverly was concerned about leaving Nikki. She felt strange.


	5. Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly selects a book to read....

The girls entered a dark house, Chrissy brushing the wall with her hand in search of the light switch once Waverly had closed the door. Mavis emerged at the far end of the hallway, carrying a tray with a teapot, cups, saucers and a plate of biscuits. Chrissy’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll put these in the room. Is Miss Haught with you?” she asked, struggling to open the door to the lounge. Chrissy rushed forward to help. Waverly was initially concerned she was going for the biscuits, but seeing her open the door for the housekeeper, breathed a sigh of relief. “No, she’s still at work,” Waverly replied, not sure how much this woman knew about where they worked.

“Dinner is at 7pm,” putting the tray down on a small table just inside the room.

Waverly sat on her bed. Tired from another long, hard day. She missed home, missed the familiar sounds of her family moving around her house. She missed her older sister the most. She would dearly love to be able to tell her all about the work at Station X, but knew it was against the rules. But, oh how she would be fascinated to know what I’m doing, Waverly mused.

The evening meal was everything Chrissy had hoped for. She tucked in to the chicken pie with relish, polishing off her portion in a matter of minutes. Waverly sat quietly eating her selection of vegetables. Nicole hadn’t returned home. The house felt less cosy without her presence. Chrissy broke the silence. “So, have you never eaten meat?” she asked, clearly the thought of someone not playing on her mind.

“Oh, I did for a while,” Waverly replied. “I just don’t agree with killing animals and eating them for our benefit.”

“I’m not sure I could go without meat,” Chrissy continued, a look on her face to say she was trying to work out what it would be like. 

They sat in the lounge after dinner, listening to the radio. Waverly heard the front door open then close just before 9pm. She wanted to rush into the hallway to see if it was Nicole. Thinking better of it, she remained in the armchair, listening intensely. She heard footsteps on the wooden floor. The door to the study open and close. More footsteps in the hallway, a knock on a door. Nicole’s voice say ‘come in.’ Muffled conversation. A door close. Footsteps retreating to the kitchen. 

Chrissy decided she needed her beauty sleep and headed off to bed. Waverly sat for a while, hoping Nicole would come into the lounge. After fifteen minutes she realised this probably wasn’t going to happen and she should make her way upstairs. She picked up the book she had started, moving towards the door. As she left the lounge Mavis was coming along the hallway with a tray of food, headed for the study. They said goodnight to each other as they passed.

In her nightgown, she sat in bed reading another chapter of the story. A love affair set in the Midlands, the industrial heart of England. A little more risqué than she was used to reading, it made her stomach flutter, as a couple in the story begin their affair. A knock on the door startled her. Nicole was holding a mug. Still in her uniform, she looked exhausted. Waverly desperately wanted to ask her in, ask her about her day, offer some comfort. She thought better of it, merely smiling, waiting for Nicole to speak. “I thought you might like some warm milk,” offering the mug to Waverly. “Don’t tell Chrissy,” she winked.

“Thank you, that’s so sweet of you,” Waverly blushing at the realisation what she said may have sounded a little too familiar. Nicole smiled, turning towards the stairs. “I borrowed a book if that’s alright,” Waverly added, studying Nicole’s back.

“Which one did you choose?” Nicole enquired, pausing at the top of the stairs.

“I think it’s called Lady Chatterley’s Lover.” 

Nicole turned, studying Waverly’s face intensely. “Interesting choice,” she replied after a few moments, heading downstairs. 

The girls sat eating breakfast. Nicole joined them briefly, taking a slice of toast, lost in thought. “I need to work here this morning,” she announced after several minutes of silence. “Alan will take you in. I’ll see you later,” getting up from the table.

There was no sign of her that day. The uniformed gentleman, who had given the presentation on the first day, sat at the top desk busy making notes. The girls continued their translations, Waverly looking up every time a messenger entered the room. The tea trolley came and went. Lunch came and went. The afternoon dragged for Waverly. The six o’clock siren was a welcome sound. She and Chrissy deposited their unfinished work on the top desk, the uniformed gentleman smiling at them. They made their way to the railway station.

“What do you think Haught has been doing all day?” Chrissy asked, as they sat in one of the carriages.

“No idea. She seems to be working very hard on something right now,” Waverly replied, equally curious as to what this work might be.

They could hear Nicole on the telephone as they entered the house. Her voice strained. “Look, the calculations are fine. It’s all in hand. No, Alan, I’ll handle it. It’s fine. Goodnight.”

Waverly sat alone in the lounge after dinner, Chrissy upstairs writing a letter home. The door opened. Nicole entered, wearing a similar outfit to the one she had on the first evening in different colours. Still stylish, still modern. She plonked herself on the sofa, a glass of whiskey in one hand, an unlit cigarette in the other. “You don’t mind if I join you?” she asked, taking a sip, playing with the cigarette.

“Please do. Long day?”

“Very,” Nicole replied, exhaling sharply. “Sorry, forgive my bad manners, would you like a drink? I have brandy, whiskey, gin.”

“Thank you, no,” Waverly replied. “I’m not really much of a drinker.”

Nicole sat quietly for a few moments, lost once more in thought. She took another sip. “How are you finding the book?”

“Oh, it’s, well, it’s rather risqué,” Waverly replied, embarrassed at having chosen one with such explicit content.

Nicole laughed, a sound that made Waverly smile. It was the first time she had heard her laugh since arriving. She felt strange.

“Forgive me, but how did you come to be at Station X?” Waverly asked, desperate to move the conversation away from that book.

Nicole studied Waverly’s face for a moment, unsure how much to tell her. “Cambridge, double First in maths, never awarded the degree mind you. Bloody sexism. Only men get awarded.” She took another sip. “Gordon recruited me. Sorry, Gordon Welshman, Hut 8. I must introduce you to him. Lovely chap. Heard about the work I was doing on radar for the RAF. Knew me at Cambridge. Knew I could add up.”

There it was again, Waverly realised, that flutter in her stomach as Nicole laughed at her own joke.

“I’m sorry if I’m a little distant at the moment. We’re working on something and it’s taking longer than we’d hoped. Nearly there, last push. If we succeed this could really help our work.” Finishing her drink, she stood, stretched, placing the empty glass on a side table. “Let me know what you think of the book,” she winked, as she left the room.

Waverly felt another flutter.


	6. Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly learns how to dance...

A group of girls were huddled round a large poster in the mess hall, giggling, chatting between themselves on what was being advertised, as Chrissy and Waverly entered. Chrissy was too hungry to investigate the excitement, rushing to join the short queue. Waverly went to check. Having got her lunch, she joined Chrissy at the table and began eating. “So, what’s all the fuss about?” Chrissy asked, tucking into her lamb chop.

“Oh, some dance for new recruits in the big hall,” Waverly said dismissively, looking at Chrissy, wondering if this girl was ever ‘not’ hungry.

“Fantastic. Love dances. So much fun. Got just the outfit for it. When is it?”

“Next Saturday. I’m not sure it’s my cup of tea,” Waverly mumbled, breaking off a piece of her roll.

“What!” Chrissy exclaimed, again a little too loudly, causing the other diners on their table to look at her. “You’ve got to come,” she continued in a lower voice. “Who will I dance with?”

Waverly had never been to a dance. James wasn’t keen, preferring strolls in the park and evenings at the cinema. They had gone to the theatre twice, which she found thrilling. She really did want to go and knew it would be great fun, particularly with Chrissy who had a joy for life that was infectious. The problem was, she did not know how to dance. She had seen dancers in films, but never learnt any steps. She didn’t want to admit this to Chrissy, preferring to give the impression a dance was not her ‘thing.’ She wondered if Nicole would be there?

In the lounge that evening, Chrissy flicked through the records in search of something to dance to. Her eyes lit up as she found one she recognised. “Ooh, Nikki has great taste in music!” she exclaimed, as she slipped the black vinyl record out of its card cover and placed it on the record player. Bringing the needle over to the record, a crackle, then the room filled with the pulsating beat of a drum, the start of ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ by Benny Goodman. Trumpets came in and the room exploded in sound to which Waverly felt unable to stop her feet moving. She sat watching, transfixed, as Chrissy became more and more carried away in the rhythm. She had a natural dance style, matching the beat to the swing of her hips. Waverly wished more than anything she could dance like that.

Pulling Waverly out of the armchair, Chrissy attempted to dance with her, quickly realising Waverly was well and truly out of her comfort zone. “You’ve danced before, right?” she asked, slightly out of breath, having moved a little too enthusiastically.

“I’m…I,” Waverly replied, releasing her hands from Chrissy’s, returning to her armchair.

“Oh lamb chop, it’s OK,” Chrissy uttered, now realising Waverly may not be able to dance. 

Waverly had to giggle at Chrissy’s term of endearment for her. Only Chrissy could call her ‘lamb chop’ and not realise the irony, given she didn’t eat meat.

Nicole entered the room, looking slightly flustered. “Sorry girls, would you mind awfully lowering the music. I have an important call to make.”

“My fault,” Chrissy explained. “I was just teaching Waverly how to dance. She’s never done it before. And the dance is next Saturday.”

Nicole paused, looking at Waverly who was sitting with her head down, feeling rather foolish. “I can teach you if you like?” she offered, waiting to see whether the offer was acceptable.

“Thank you, but your work?” Waverly replied, not wanting to distract Nicole from her project.

“I think I can spare some time for this,” she smiled. “But, not tonight. Still a lot to do. Chrissy, not too loud.”

Nicole left the room, as Chrissy started the music again, this time at a reduced volume. “I bet she’s a really good dancer,” Chrissy said, as she resumed her movements.

“I bet she is too,” Waverly repeated, feeling that familiar flutter in her stomach.

Waverly sat the next day at her desk, daydreaming about her dance lesson with Nicole. There was a part of her curious to know what it would be like. There was another part of her terrified of knowing what it would be like. And then there was a huge part of her wondering why she kept feeling that flutter in her stomach, each time she thought about the activity. This was her boss.

Waverly moved the peas round her plate at dinner, unable to meet Nicole’s eyes, whom she could feel staring at her. Nicole made a passing comment on how distracted she had looked all day. Waverly blushed, knowing full well why, unable to make any comment.

“I have some work to finish,” Nicole said as she got up from the table. Waverly suddenly felt a pang of disappointment at the thought she may not be getting a dance lesson after all.

She and Chrissy retired to the lounge, where Chrissy selected yet another of her favourite dance records and began moving around the room. She continued to play song after song, getting more animated in her movements, crashing onto the sofa, panting, after the last one finished. Too tired to carry on, she bid goodnight just before 9pm, leaving Waverly to finish another chapter of her book.

Too explicit to mention to Chrissy, Waverly moved her way tentatively through the story, feeling that she really, really shouldn’t be reading such material, unable to stop herself. The lounge door opened without her noticing. Engrossed in a particularly graphic scene, she jumped as someone touched her softly on the shoulder. “Sorry, did I startle you?” Nicole asked, another glass of whiskey in her hand.

“No, I was…I mean. I was just…” Waverly utterly flustered at having been caught unawares.

“Up for that dance lesson?” Nicole enquired, not sure if Waverly really wanted to learn.

“Oh, of course. Yes, if you don’t mind. Have you finished your work?” 

“No, but I need the distraction.” Nicole moved to the record player, putting her glass down beside it, spending a few minutes searching through her collection. “Ah, this one. Right, up on your feet,” she instructed, as the music started. 

The beat was just as fast as the ones Chrissy had been playing earlier. Waverly could feel herself easing into the rhythm. She watched as Nicole moved her hips to the sound, an easy grace that said this girl knew how to dance. “Just follow my lead, it’s really just a matter of letting the music take you. You can’t go wrong.”

The two of them moved to the music, enjoying the freedom to be themselves, have some fun. It was the first time Waverly had seen Nicole look relaxed. She was mesmerised by her ability to dance effortlessly. She had all the moves and as much as Waverly tried to keep up, she couldn’t match the pace with which Nicole could move her feet and hips to the music. Nicole, caught up in the music, suddenly grabbed Waverly’s hand and began co-ordinating movements with her. It was fast, exhilarating and Waverly had never felt so alive in all her life. She could see Nicole really letting go and it made her want to go with her. There was that feeling again.

The music ended. Nicole realised she was holding Waverly’s hand. She let go, looking slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, probably a little too fast for your first dance lesson?” 

“No, perfect,” Waverly said, still feeling the pulse of the music moving inside her.

Nicole selected another record. “You’ve slow danced?” she asked, as the music began (I Surrender Dear by Benny Goodman). Waverly looked down, as Nicole approached. “Don’t worry, it’s quite easy.” She lifted Waverly’s right hand up with her left. “Like so,” she instructed, making sure Waverly’s arm was bent in the correct position. She placed her other hand lightly across Waverly’s back. The sensation made Waverly’s breathing pick up as she felt Nicole holding her. There was still a space between them, but the proximity was electrifying. “Just relax, follow my moves,” Nicole guided, as she moved off.

If this was dancing, Waverly wanted more. It felt so natural, their bodies moving to the music effortlessly. She could feel her getting closer. Her right hand gradually easing along her back until it was fully across. They were a breath away from each other. She leant in, her head resting lightly on Nicole’s chest. She could feel Nicole’s heart beating fast. Or was it hers? 

The sound of footsteps on the stairs broke them out of their shared moment. Chrissy burst into the room announcing she had left her writing set on the table. Nicole and Waverly were standing several feet apart, both looking away from each other. “How’s the dance lesson going?” she asked, collecting her belongings.

Neither spoke, simply looking at Chrissy, who suddenly sensed she had intruded on something. “Off to bed. Night everyone,” Chrissy said, bouncing out of the room.

“I better go, too,” Waverly said, wishing Chrissy hadn’t broken the moment between them. Reaching the door, she turned to face Nicole, who was still standing in the same position. “I really enjoyed our dance. Thank you.”

Nicole remained motionless after the door closed. This girl was getting to her.


	7. Stockings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly gets a gift from Alan...

Nicole poured herself a large whiskey, sitting down at her desk. What if Chrissy hadn’t come in? she wondered. What if they had been allowed to finish their dance? Here was a girl in her care and she had slow danced with her. She would have to move Waverly to another house. This wasn’t fair on her. Plus, she needed to keep a clear head for the work she was doing. But, those eyes. That body. The movement between them. No, this stops right now, she instructed herself, before it goes too far. She had sensed something from Waverly, but that might be because she was younger, in new surroundings, unsure of herself, looking up to her. Hell, she might even have a boyfriend, or fiancé, for all she knew. This really had to stop. 

Those eyes. That body.

Waverly sat in bed. What if Chrissy hadn’t come in? she wondered. What if they had been allowed to finish their dance? She had definitely felt Nicole’s heart beating faster, as she lay against her. She had felt the way she touched her. Nicole’s hand on her back, moving her round the room, body pressed into her, breath on her neck, her scent. She desperately wanted the dance to go on forever. She couldn’t tell Nicole how that made her feel. She couldn’t tell Chrissy. She couldn’t even tell herself. 

Those eyes. That body. 

“So, is Nikki as good a dancer as I think she is?” Chrissy teased, as Waverly entered the dining room for breakfast.

Waverly froze, not knowing if Chrissy suspected what had gone on the night before. She made her way to the table, sitting down, picking up a slice of toast, wondering what to say.

“Well, is she?” Chrissy persisted.

“She’s quite good,” Waverly replied, unable to look Chrissy in the eye. “Not as good as you, though.”

“Knew it. I am rather good, even if I say so myself.”

Nicole entered the room, grabbing a slice of toast, buttering it quickly. She didn’t look at Waverly. “Alan will pick us up shortly,” was all she said, turning to leave the room.

“Would it be alright if we popped into town on Saturday?” Chrissy asked. “I need to see if I can buy stockings for the dance. Left my good pair at home.”

Nicole paused at the door, her back turned to them, contemplating the request. She turned. “You may not be able to find any, unfortunately. There’s quite a shortage at the moment.”

“Looks like I’ll be painting my legs then with gravy browning,” Chrissy grumbled. “Such a waste of good food.”

“I can ask Alan. He has a contact at the American Embassy. Usually good for these sort of things. Waverly, would you like a pair?” Nicole added, turning her gaze briefly towards her. Those eyes. That body.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Saturday arrived. The girls were busy getting ready. Waverly had her prettiest frock laid out ready to put on. She sat in her dressing gown finishing her hair and make-up, nervous about the evening ahead, excited at the same time. It would be her first dance and she was now looking forward to it. Chrissy had continued to teach her the basic steps. She felt she could at least keep up a little better. The pace of swing music had seeped into her soul and she was looking forward to an evening with her friend. Nicole had mentioned she and Alan would be going as chaperones, given this was the girl’s first dance. She hadn’t made any more offers of dance lessons. She seemed distracted, more distant since the evening of the slow dance. 

There was a knock on her bedroom door. Waverly assumed it was Chrissy, come to borrow yet another piece of make-up. The door opened. Nicole had a pair of stockings in her hand. She looked uncomfortable. Not her usual confident self. “Alan’s contact came through. He got you these,” holding out the silk stockings. 

Waverly got up, moving towards Nicole, taking the delicate items from her. They looked expensive, soft to touch, a higher quality than Waverly was used to. She stood feeling them in her hands, Nicole watching her. “Thank you, they’re perfect.” 

“I need to get ready,” Nicole announced, frantically trying to tear her eyes away. 

Waverly pulled off her dressing down, exposing her cream laced corset. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she rolled one stocking to be able to put it on. She inserted her foot, rolling the stocking up her leg, attaching it to the suspenders at the bottom of her corset. Both stockings on, she stood in front of the mirror admiring her new item of clothing. 

Nicole had made it to her own bedroom when she realised she had forgotten to tell Waverly that Alan was arriving half an hour earlier than scheduled. Rushing upstairs, she opened the door to Waverly’s bedroom without knocking, without thinking. A sight greeted her, making her gasp audibly. Waverly was standing in her underwear, silk stockings defining the most perfect legs Nicole had ever seen. A corset contouring her slender body exquisitely. Waverly’s luscious hair tumbling down over her shoulders. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. She felt as if she was about to pass out. Her eyes fixed on the vision before her. Her mouth open.

Waverly looked at her, startled by the intrusion, wondering why she had opened the door without knocking first. She saw the look on Nicole’s face. It was unmistakable. Nicole liked what she saw. 

“Alan, here soon,” was all Nicole could utter, her ability to form coherent sentences lost in that moment.

She backed away from the door, still transfixed by Waverly, before turning towards the stairs. Waverly smiled to herself. This was going to be an interesting evening.

A car horn sounded outside. Everyone made their way to the waiting car. Nicole had chosen to wear a tight black velvet dress, contouring her body perfectly. It was matched by a single string of pearls round her neck. She looked breathtaking. Alan exited the car, opening the rear passenger doors for the girls first, helping Nicole into the front. He was wearing a black tuxedo and bow tie. He looked handsome. Nicole kissed him on the cheek once seated.

The hall appeared to be in darkness as they approached, blackout screens on all the windows, the music they could hear telling them the dance had begun. As the door to the hall was opened Waverly got her first view. It was busy, the sound of chatting, laughing, glasses clinking. A band played at the far end. Couples on the dancefloor enjoying themselves. Nicole motioned for them to move inside. They found an empty table. Alan took the order for drinks. He returned, carrying a tray, placing it on the table, offering a glass to Nicole first. 

Two gentlemen approached. One of them considerably more handsome than the other. Nicole got up, kissing each on the cheek. “May I introduce Gordon Welchman and Dilly Knox,” gesturing to the men. “Gordon, Dilly, this is Miss Earp and Miss Nedley. They are staying with me.”

The more handsome man moved forward, taking Chrissy’s hand first, kissing it, moving onto Waverly. She blushed, looking briefly at Nicole who was smiling. “Gordon, you’ll never change,” she laughed, as he winked at her.

“May I have a dance with you later,” Gordon asked, still holding Waverly's hand. 

“Yes, of course.” 

“And as for you, Officer Haught, the first dance is mine,” taking her hand and leading her out onto the dancefloor.

“Well, well, well, you’ve just been Gordon-ed,” Chrissy whispered, as they watched the couple dance. 

“What?” Waverly asked, utterly confused by what Chrissy meant.

“He’s only the resident lothario. And, by the looks of it, you’re now on his radar.”

Waverly sat quietly sipping her drink.

After several hours at a fast pace, the music slowed, couples getting up to dance together. Gordon appeared from nowhere, holding out his hand to Waverly, for that promised dance. Chrissy winked as she got up. Waverly turned to look at Nicole who was deep in conversation with Alan. Making their way to the dancefloor, Gordon held Waverly the same way Nicole had in their slow dance. He was very good looking, confident, a little too confident for Waverly. Something felt different about this dance. There wasn’t the chemistry, the easy movement, the flow between their bodies as there had been with Nicole. 

“How are you enjoying Station X?” Gordon enquired, as they moved around the dancefloor.

“It’s stimulating.”

She gazed over at Nicole still deep in conversation with Alan. Gordon followed her gaze. “Those two are inseparable,” he remarked, swinging Waverly round. “Just as well they got engaged.”

Waverly felt her body tense up. Wait, had Gordon just said Nikki was engaged to Alan? “Relax,” Gordon instructed, feeling the change in Waverly’s muscles. “I don’t bite. Not on a first dance anyway.”

“So, what’s it like dancing with the Welchman?” Chrissy asked, as he returned her to the table.

“Informative,” looking over at Nicole, still shaken by what Gordon had told her.

Nicole noticed Waverly looking at her. She smiled, held their mutual gaze for a moment, returning to whatever she was discussing with Alan.


	8. Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly finds her feet...

Waverly was quiet for most of the car journey home. She saw Nikki kiss Alan on the cheek. She saw Alan squeeze her hand before she exited the car. They were engaged.

The house was quiet Sunday morning. Everyone sleeping in after their big night out. Waverly made her way to the dining room, where Mavis had laid out breakfast. The tea was still reasonably warm as she sat alone, ruminating on what Gordon had told her. She moved to the lounge, picking up a magazine, flicking through the pages, unable to concentrate on anything. The door opened. Nicole entered, surprised at first to see Waverly sitting in the armchair. “How did you enjoy your first dance?” she asked, trying to sound uninterested, failing in the attempt.

“Informative.”

“Interesting choice of word,” Nicole remarked, picking up a pile of unopened letters.

“Gordon mentioned you’re engaged.”

Nicole stood motionless, her back to Waverly, pretending to sift through the letters she had in her hand. She held this position for several moments, considering whether to explain her situation to Waverly. Could she trust her? Her heart made the decision for her. Turning to Waverly, she moved towards the sofa, sitting opposite, placing the letters beside her. There was silence, her eyes lowered as if in deep contemplation. Eventually she raised them to look at Waverly. “I need to explain something to you,” she began, a serious expression on her face. “But, before I tell you, I have to ask you something.”

Waverly sat in silence, not knowing what was about to come.

“I need to know I can trust you. What I am about to say is extremely delicate. If it got out, it would ruin a lot of people’s lives. I need to know you can keep a secret. You must tell no one. Not even Chrissy.”

“Yes. You can trust me.” 

Nicole sat in silence, gathering herself for what she was about to tell Waverly. “Gordon was correct. Alan and I are engaged, but it is not as it appears.” She paused, allowing Waverly time to process what she had said. “It is for appearances, do you understand?”

“I think so,” Waverly offered, knowing that she really didn’t.

“Alan and I are very close. But…” Nicole paused, knowing what she was about to say would change the way Waverly would see Alan and her. “But, Alan is not attracted to me. Do you understand?”

“I think so.”

Nicole paused again, wondering whether she should tell Waverly the next part of the equation. Her heart made the decision. “And, I’m not attracted to Alan. Do you understand?”

Waverly sat considering what Nicole was telling her. “Sorry, no I’m not sure I do.”

Nicole moved off the sofa kneeling down, taking her hands. “Waverly, Alan prefers men and I…” Nicole saw Waverly’s expression change as she finally understood what she was being told. “I need to make arrangements for you to move to another house.” 

“Wait, what? No. Why? I like it here. I like being with Chrissy. I like being with you.” 

“Waves, I know. But, I am beginning to have feelings for you and I sense something from you. I know if you stayed, I could not trust myself. I don’t want to put you in a position where you might feel uncomfortable around me.”

“But, I don’t feel uncomfortable around you. I feel wonderful.” Tears began to trickle down Waverly’s face. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Not even James.” 

Nicole, realising how upset she was making Waverly, brushed a tear from her cheek. “I want us to be friends. To be able to work together.”

There was so much for Waverly to process. The thought of this going no further. The thought of her being away from this household. “I understand…But, I want more.”

Waverly felt the jolt in Nicole’s hands at what she had just admitted. Looking into her eyes, she could see Nicole desperately trying to hold back her emotions, knowing she too wanted more. Someone had to make the first move. It was Waverly. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against Nicole’s, feeling their smoothness, their silkiness. At first, Nicole didn’t respond, allowing Waverly to experience her for the first time. Her heart took over. Moving into the kiss, she revealed her passion for the woman in front of her. 

It was delicate. It was delicious. It was right.


	9. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly can stay in the house...

Nicole pulled away. She was looking at Waverly differently. Her eyes softer, her expression more relaxed. There was a slight smile on her lips. She still had one of Waverly’s hands in hers. Waverly wasn’t sure how Nicole would react. Exhilarated by what she had done, she gazed into Nicole’s eyes, never wanting this moment to end. Then she realised she had gone too far. This definitely meant Nicole would have to send her away. How could she stay when she had kissed her boss? Tears began to trickle down her face once more.

“Hey, hey. It’s alright. Hey, Waves, please, it was perfect.”

“But, you’ll send me to another house now. I just want to be here with you and Chrissy. Please don’t move me.”

“Hey, Waves, it’s fine. You did nothing wrong. In fact, you did everything right. I’m a fool sometimes. A little too cautious for my own good. I probably would never have had the courage to do what you’ve just done. Thank you.”

Waverly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “But, you’ll have to move me, right?”

“Wrong. I was wrong. I thought by pushing you away I could dismiss what I was feeling. I’m very good at denying my own emotions. I needed someone like you, someone more open to this world, to make me realise I can’t run away, can’t push away what is happening between us.”

Waverly smiled. Her instinctive action had saved her from banishment. It felt odd hearing someone say she was courageous. She didn’t feel courageous. She certainly hadn’t felt courageous before kissing Nicole. She had felt scared, uncertain of her future, but she let her heart move her and that is what saved the day. We seldom feel brave in a moment of crisis, yet our ability to do the thing that needs to be done reveals the courage in our hearts. Waverly had shown Nicole the way. 

“Forgive me. You mentioned a James. Is he someone special to you?”

“Well, he was. We were dating before I came to Station X. All rather amicable. I think he assumed we would get married at some stage. I assumed we would get married. But, it’s not what I want. Not anymore.”

“Are you sure, Waves? This doesn’t have to go any further with us. I like you and I’m guessing you like me. But don’t throw away what you have with James if you don’t want to.”

“I’m not throwing anything away. I didn’t have anything like this with him to start with.”

“Look, take your time to consider your options with James. There’s no rush.” She squeezed Waverly’s hand, standing, moving to sit on the sofa. Her eyes lowered, considering the way forward. After a few moments, deep in thought, she looked at Waverly. “We need to be discreet. The world is cruel. It doesn’t accept those who go against its norms. This has to be our secret.”

“I understand. Isn’t that the work we do anyway?”

Nicole laughed. This girl, so perfect, so innocent-eyed, was thawing her heart. “I have quite a lot of work to do myself. Come to my study later, say four. We can talk more.”

Nicole left the room, the unopened letters in her hand. Waverly sat in the armchair, mulling over everything that had just happened. Those eyes. That body. Those lips.

She heard Chrissy coming down the stairs, entering the dining room. She got up from the armchair, making sure her eyes were completely dry, pausing to take in the room which was providing her with so many new, wonderful experiences. She saw Chrissy sitting at the table absorbed in food. She smiled, knowing she wouldn’t be leaving her friend just yet. Sitting at the table, she took a slice of toast. Chrissy looked up, butter on her chin.

“You look chipper this morning. Very pleased with yourself. I’m assuming that’s a Mr Gordon Welchman smile?”

Waverly desperately wanted to tell her it wasn’t. That her smile was most definitely a Miss Nicole Haught smile. But she knew that what had happened between her and Nicole, what had been spoken about, had to stay with her and her alone. No leaks, no slips. This was now a serious matter and if she was to protect herself, Nicole and Alan she needed to play this perfectly. “I will admit," Waverly replied, "Gordon is very handsome. He’s quite a good dancer, but not as good as you Chrissy.”

“Why thank you Miss Earp. The next dance is yours.”

Waverly giggled. Secretly she knew the next dance was most definitely Nicole’s.

The study door was closed as she approached. She didn’t know whether to knock, or just enter. She hovered outside. She could hear Nikki on the phone, her voice animated. “There’s got to be a way. Alan, we must be able to work this out. Tell me what you want me to do.”

Waverly couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had Nicole told Alan about their liaison in the lounge? Secrets. I thought she said this must be their secret. Did that extend to Alan too? Clearly not. She decided to knock, to let Nicole know she was there.

“Come in. Alan, I’ve got to go. Ring me when you’ve worked out our next move.”

She smiled at Waverly as she put the receiver down. Motioning for her to sit in the armchair near her desk. Waverly looked nervous. She wanted to kiss Nikki again, to feel those lips, to feel the sensations she had felt earlier. She also wanted to ask her why she was talking about what had happened between them with Alan. Nicole could see Waverly was struggling with something. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. Only, I thought this was going to be our secret. As in, you and me. Not, you, me and Alan.”

Nicole looked confused. “It is. Oh wait. Sorry, no. I wasn’t talking to Alan about us just now. It’s the project we’re working on. We’re so close and yet so far away, it’s terribly frustrating. One more piece of information, that’s all we need. Unbelievable.”

Waverly let out a sigh of relief. She had misunderstood Nicole’s conversation. Their secret was safe. “So, is this project very important?”

“Extremely. If we don’t crack this it could be the end of Station X. All the work we are doing there will have been for nothing. Puts quite a lot of pressure on Alan and me unfortunately.”

Nicole smiled, keeping her gaze on Waverly. She had definitely relaxed more in her company. Waverly could feel the tension had lifted between them. She appeared happier, glad to have let Waverly into her life. To have found someone to share the burden of what she and Alan were doing. Waverly felt welcome. They sat for a moment gazing at each other.

“What did you do before Station X?” Waverly asked.

“I was a maths teacher. Very boring, I know. Spiced it up a little by driving cars very fast. My brother is a racing driver. Let’s me borrow one of his on occasions. Alan does too. Very exciting putting your foot down. Very unladylike, but immense fun. Alan doesn’t like me driving his car too fast. But, as I keep reminding him, there’s no point having a fast car and driving it slowly.”

Waverly sat listening to Nicole, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, utterly amazed. Was there no end to the surprises this woman would give her? Her mind was already imagining what it would be like to drive in a car with her. The speed, the danger, the proximity. She hoped Nicole would take her somewhere, anywhere, just the two of them, to enjoy their own company. 

It was as if Nicole had read her mind. “Do you fancy coming on a picnic with me next Saturday? I can spare a few hours and it would be nice to put some distance between here and the work. Let my hair down, so to speak. I’m sure Alan will let me borrow his car. Of course, I’ll promise him I won’t drive it fast, but I probably will.”


	10. Sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly tastes something sensuous...

The week dragged. Waverly desperately wanted Saturday to come. Each morning she would get in Alan’s car thinking about the time it would be her and Nicole alone taking it for a spin. Nicole was right, Alan was a slow driver. Why have a fast car if you didn’t drive fast? The thought of having a picnic was equally thrilling. Spending time with Nicole, somewhere away from the crowd. But, how to tell Chrissy? Afterall, where there’s food, there’s Chrissy.

Nicole decided the best way to play this would be to distract Chrissy, given she might be curious if the two of them disappeared in Alan’s car for the day. Chrissy’s love of all things food could be used to their advantage. Nicole was sure Alan would oblige in taking her to lunch somewhere, by way of introduction. She knew Alan would have her back, without having to explain the precise reason why she needed this favour from him. He was very much a black and white thinker. Understanding the more subtle grey tones when it came to affairs of the heart went completely over his head. A trait Nicole actually found quite endearing. 

Nicole had asked Chrissy to keep this invitation a secret, as she didn’t want the other members of Hut 4 getting jealous. She had also asked Chrissy not to talk about it in front of her housekeeper. Chrissy thought this an odd request, but was happy to go along. Afterall, she was getting a meal out of it. The only person she could talk to was Waverly. And boy, did she talk about it. Constantly. Chrissy was terribly excited to be having lunch with none other than Alan Turing. It was lovely to see her so animated, enjoying the thought of being singled out, being made special.

She asked Waverly if it was alright her going, which Waverly thought was really sweet. She had said it was perfectly fine and that she was really looking forward to hearing all about her lunch with Alan. She wasn’t entirely sure if Chrissy was more excited to be going to lunch with Alan Turing, or simply going to lunch. It didn’t matter. It would give her and Nicole time to be together. It would also be a perfect cover for Alan to leave his car. 

Nicole had warned they must be especially careful not to get caught together in the house. They stole moments when they could. A gentle stroke of the hand, a light touch on an arm, a caress on the cheek. They had managed to steal another kiss one evening in Nicole's study after Chrissy had gone to bed. It was slow, passionate, lingering. Waverly had wanted it to go on forever. She could have stayed wrapped in Nicole’s arms for eternity. It felt so right. 

Alan dutifully arrived at the specified time on Saturday morning. Nicole had instructed him not to hand her the car keys, simply to leave them on the hall table. He proceeded to make a huge gesture of leaving the keys on the hall table, eliciting an eye roll from Nicole. Chrissy couldn’t contain her excitement. She had her best dress on, hair done and Waverly said she looked lovely. Alan would walk with her into the village, have lunch at one of the small restaurants, followed by a stroll around the park. He had been instructed not to return to the house before 3.30pm precisely. Nicole knew if she set an exact time Alan would stick to it rigidly. That would give her and Waverly plenty of time to drive to the spot she had in mind, have a picnic, returning home before Alan and Chrissy got back.

Mavis had already packed a picnic the night before as instructed. Nicole and Alan often went on picnics so this was nothing unusual. It was her day off on Saturday which meant she would be out of the house, unaware of who Nicole was taking this time. As soon as Alan and Chrissy left the house, Nicole grabbed the picnic from the kitchen and a rug. They waited several minutes before departing in case they were seen. The drive was everything Waverly had imagined. Nicole really did like driving fast. She was an excellent driver. They sped along country lanes to their destination. The weather was mild enough to be out. Ideal for a picnic. Nicole stopped the car at the edge of a field. Grabbing the basket and rug, she took Waverly’s hand, walking to the perfect spot she had in mind. It was by a stream, secluded, magical. The spot was everything Waverly had imagined. She laid out the rug, placing the basket in one corner, taking out a few items and a flask of orange cordial. She motioned for Waverly to join her. Waverly’s heart began to beat faster.

As she sat down, Nicole offered her a sandwich from one of the boxes. It was delicious. She had tasted cheese sandwiches before, but the setting, the mood, the proximity to Nicole transformed it into something divine, ambrosia, food of the Gods. They chatted about their lives. Nicole had had a romance at Cambridge with another female student by the name of Shae. It hadn’t lasted. She was sad at the time the relationship ended, but realised they had grown apart, their initial attraction being nothing more than a moment of passion, not strong enough to make a longer journey together. 

Waverly told her about her childhood. How her family had lived in a pretty little village called Gabarret in the south of France for a time. How she had met James. How he was rather dull, but kind. How he had never taken her to a dance because he didn’t enjoy dancing. How his idea of fun was a stroll in the park to feed the ducks. How she hadn’t known anything else existed until coming to Bletchley. 

Nicole nodded, listening in silence, growing fonder of this beautiful, delicate creature who had entered her life, with every detail revealed. Suddenly remembering the last item of food in the basket, she dipped her hand in, pulling out a bar of chocolate. Peeling back the paper cover, she broke off two pieces. Waverly looked in astonishment. She hadn’t had chocolate for quite some time due to rationing. The thought of tasting it again made her stomach flutter. She took a piece, putting it in her mouth. Nicole watched. The taste was erotic. Soft, silky, smooth on the tongue. It was Nicole. 

“This is so, so good. Where did you get it?”

“Alan’s contact at the American Embassy is jolly handy. Mavis always puts some in for picnics I have with Alan. He’s rather partial to it.”

“I’m glad I’m tasting it with you. Had considered sleeping with a Yank to taste it again. I suppose I’ll have to sleep with you now!”

Nicole let out a laugh. “Perhaps, if you play your cards right Miss Earp.” She pulled Waverly into a kiss. The chocolate in their mouths making the moment even sweeter.


	11. Siren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly goes to London...

“Can I take some back for Chrissy?”

Nicole nodded as they packed away the picnic. They were home ten minutes before Alan’s return with Chrissy. She bounced into the lounge, looking thoroughly satisfied, Waverly guessing the lunch had gone well. “That was the most enjoyable experience of my life. Alan is such a gentleman. Doesn’t say much, but when he does. He’s so clever. And, I never knew beef bourguignon could taste that good.”

Waverly produced the half of chocolate bar she had hidden under the magazine she was reading. “I have something else that tastes good.”

“Is that? Can’t be. Where did you get it?”

Waverly had to think. She couldn’t tell her it was from Nicole. That would make Chrissy curious. It was in that moment Waverly realised how careful she would need to be to keep what she had with Nicole a secret. No leaks. No slips. “Alan left it for us, as a treat. His contact at the American Embassy gets it for him.”

Chrissy’s eyes were fixed on the chocolate. Waverly wasn’t sure if she had heard the last sentence in her enthusiasm to get her hands on the bar. She handed the remainder to Chrissy. “Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me taking some already.”

“Absolutely fine. I would have done the same. Oh my, this tastes like heaven. And, we didn’t have to sleep with anyone to get it.”

Waverly smiled, knowing she would happily have slept with the person who gave it to her. 

Alan and Nicole had been invited to a party in London. The girls were to accompany them, as a treat. Alan would drive. They would stay in a hotel overnight. Alan was instructed by Nicole to book four rooms. The party was being held in one of the Government buildings in Whitehall. All the top brass would be there. It was an occasion to acknowledge the work being done. Alan was his usual punctual self, arriving at the house at noon. They had lunch together. The girls were excited. Chrissy couldn’t stop talking. Everyone listened, wondering how she could say so much and clear her plate at the same time. Their bags packed, party frocks on, they made their way to Alan’s car. 

The roads into London were reasonably clear. They passed several bomb sites, buildings in ruins, smoke still rising as fires burnt themselves out. Civilians worked to remove bricks and debris from roads in an effort to keep London moving. Alan pulled up outside the hotel. It was grand, imposing, still standing. Leaving Nicole and the girls to check in, he went to park the car. Waverly opened the door to her room. Spacious, luxurious, it had a large double bed. She had never stayed anywhere this posh. She had never seen anywhere this posh. Her walks around the pond to feed the ducks with Charles now a distant memory. 

Nicole knocked on the door. Pulling her inside, Waverly couldn’t resist kissing her. “This is perfect,” Waverly said, her arms wrapped round Nicole's waist.

“I thought you would like it. The party starts at 5pm. We’ll have drinks downstairs first. There’s food at the venue. If I can persuade Alan we may go to a club afterwards. See you in thirty minutes.”

One final kiss and she exited the room. Waverly knew this was going to be a good evening.

The party was in full swing when they arrived. Waverly had never seen so many people in uniform. She wondered why Nicole had chosen not to wear hers, then realised it was only men wearing them. They circulated. Alan shook hands every so often, looking uncomfortable. A young woman spotted Nicole, making a beeline, kissing her on the cheek. “My dear, so lovely to see you again. How are you keeping?”

“Well, thank you. Mary, you know Alan. May I introduce Miss Earp and Miss Nedley?”

She smiled, offering her hand for them to shake. “We must catch up. Call me.” 

Chrissy whispered to Waverly. “Tell me, you know who that is?” Waverly didn’t. She would be forever in awe of Chrissy’s ability to know who everyone was. “None other than Mary Spencer-Churchill. As in, Winston Churchill’s daughter. Wow, Nikki must be well-connected.”

A waiter carrying a plate of sandwiches walked past, distracting Chrissy. They ate, they drank, they talked. It was a very pleasant evening. At 8pm, Nicole motioned for them to leave. They retrieved their coats, hailing a taxi to take them the short distance to a club Nicole had in mind. It was busy when they entered. Music, dancing, drinking, Waverly was enthralled. So many new experiences. They stayed until just before midnight, enjoying the heady atmosphere, not wanting it to end. Alan eventually said he needed to sleep, the group making their way back to the hotel.

There was a knock on Waverly’s door. Nicole was holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Waverly smiled to herself. From the first time Nicole had stood holding a mug of warm milk, here they were in a hotel in London about to share champagne. She would never grow tired of this woman. Nicole entered, placing the glasses on the table, pouring the champagne, offering a glass to Waverly. “Here’s to us.”

Waverly sipped her drink. It was the first time she had tried it. Delicious. The bubbles hitting her tongue, a crisp taste she could easily become accustomed to. She put her glass down, taking Nicole’s from her. She ran her hand up the back of Nicole’s dress looking for the zip. She released it, letting the dress fall to the floor. Nicole did the same with Waverly’s dress. They stood for a moment, Nicole’s eyes motioning to the bed. Taking Waverly’s hand, she moved her towards it. Waverly had been waiting for this moment. She knew Nicole would guide her, make her feel things she had never felt before. She was ready.

A siren sounded. An air raid was in progress. It wouldn’t be safe staying in the hotel room. Nicole instructed Waverly to get her clothes on, as she frantically pulled on her dress. “We need to leave. Now.”

Nicole exited first, checking the corridor quickly for Alan and Chrissy. They were still in their rooms. She went to knock for them. Waverly emerged a few moments later, Nicole having returned with a rather dishevelled looking Alan and a sleepy Chrissy. They headed to the basement, where other guests were congregating. They heard the boom of the first explosion. Far enough away not to do damage, near enough to make Waverly anxious. Nicole looked over, desperate to hold her, knowing she couldn’t. 

It was a long night. The bombing went on for many hours. Unable to sleep, they amused themselves with a pack of playing cards Alan had brought with him. A baby was crying, his mother trying to comfort him. The ‘all clear’ siren sounded just after 7am. They made their way back to their rooms. Not enough time to resume what they had started, knowing they had to depart shortly for Bletchley. Nicole looked at Waverly as she left her at the door. A hunger in her eyes told Waverly she wanted her more than ever.


	12. Strategy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole and Waverly work out how to be together...

The missed opportunity at the hotel set in motion a new mission for them to be together, alone, somewhere. Nicole, now desperate to be with Waverly had to work out a way. It was too risky to do anything in the house. The wooden floors, creaking stairs, would give away any movement. They couldn’t risk it.

A new opportunity presented itself two weeks later. Chrissy was going home to attend her sister’s wedding. She would be gone the whole weekend, giving Nicole and Waverly the time and space they now desperately craved. With Chrissy gone, they could easily have stayed in the house, but decided it would be more fun to go somewhere together. Plus, there was the risk of Mavis hearing them. Nicole's family owned a cottage in the Cotswolds. Picturesque, a small lake nearby, it was where Nicole learnt how to swim as a child. They could be there in just over an hour from Bletchley. It was perfect. 

Chrissy had been given permission to leave early on the Friday before the wedding, a favour pulled by Nicole. Alan’s car had been requisitioned, yet again. Alan didn’t mind. He knew Nicole liked driving it, albeit too fast for his liking. He had hoped to go on another picnic with her that weekend, but had plenty of work to occupy his mind.

They would go direct from Station X. Nicole would tell Alan she needed the car to visit her parents. That way, she could stow a suitcase in the boot of his car. Alan would drive Nicole off the base, giving her the car at his house. Waverly would say she was visiting her family, bringing a case with her to the base. She would get the train from Bletchley, meeting Nicole at Claydon station, on the way to the cottage. Mavis would be told everyone was away for the weekend. Secrecy can be so exhausting. 

Friday morning arrived. Everyone deposited their suitcases in the boot of the car. Sitting quietly, they each mulled over their respective actions of the day. Chrissy was unusually quiet. She had hardly eaten any breakfast, something Waverly failed to pick up on, too consumed in what was about to happen with her and Nicole. At lunchtime, Chrissy picked at her food. Waverly realised something was wrong. “Are you alright?”

“Not really," Chrissy replied. "I don’t want to go to the wedding.”

“What. You must. It’s…”

“I know. It’s only. My sister and I don’t get along. I love her, but she’s always treated me as the odd one of the family. She got the beauty. I got the brains.”

“Oh, Chrissy. I think you got the beauty too. I think your sister is simply jealous.”

“I know I can’t let my family down. It’s just. I’m having such a fun time here. To go home seems like such a downer.”

“But, you must go.” Waverly suddenly feeling slightly panicky that the whole mission of her and Nicole being together would be put in jeopardy. “Listen, I understand your feelings. This place changes you. Makes you experience new things. It’s hard going back to your old life, knowing what we know now. But, that’s what you take with you. If your sister says anything, just smile, knowing you’re a code-breaker. One of the best.”

“Waverly, what did I do to deserve you?” Chrissy said, tears welling in her eyes. She gave her a hug. “That’s settled, I’m going.”

The mission was saved.

Nicole sped into the evening, eager to get to their destination. A caretaker had made the cottage ready for their arrival. The fire had been lit in the small lounge. Food left, bed made ready. They drew up outside, just after 8pm. The cottage was in darkness. Nicole turned to Waverly, taking her hand. “Listen, this is at your pace.”

Waverly felt that familiar flutter in her stomach. She wanted the pace to be fast. If she could have pulled over in a layby on route, ripped Nicole’s clothes off and touched her she would have. The missed opportunity in London had done nothing but increase the sexual tension between them to a point you could sense it in the air. How anyone hadn’t picked up on it?

Nicole opened the door to the cottage. The glow of the fire met them. It was warm and welcoming. Nicole took their suitcases, placing them just inside the door. “Let’s eat.”

“Let’s not.”

Waverly grabbed Nicole, pulling her into the most forceful kiss they had ever experienced. Whether it was the uniform, or just needing to experience Nicole, she couldn’t stop. Everything she had been feeling, every sensation of Nicole touching her, culminated in this moment. Nicole grabbed Waverly’s hand, pulling her towards a door just off the living space. Waverly saw the double bed as they entered. Now, please let it be now.

Their love making was exquisite. Nicole knew this would be the first time for Waverly. She would not have any physical experience to draw upon. It is one thing reading an erotic novel such as Lady Chatterly’s Lover. It is an entirely different matter navigating the contours of a body. Nicole allowed Waverly to explore her, guiding her hands, showing her how she liked to be touched. She knew she would have to take her time with Waverly, teaching her how to bring pleasure. What that pleasure was. What it felt like. Everything would be new to Waverly. Nicole didn’t want her to miss anything. She wanted her to feel safe to enjoy the moment, enjoy her own body, enjoy Nicole. At every step, Nicole asked if it was okay. A hand stroking a thigh, caressing skin, slow, erotic, delicious.

They spent the rest of the night getting to know each other. There were tears. Good tears. Tears that said they were finally together in this moment, enjoying each other. Nicole lay on the bed panting, her last orgasm pulsating through her body. She couldn’t believe Waverly could bring her to such a peak. “I’ve got to eat,” Nicole said, her breathing slowing.

“Just one more,” Waverly replied, looking at Nicole with doe eyes that would melt a poacher’s heart.

“OK, just one. But then we eat.”


	13. Swim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teacher in Nicole comes out...

Have you ever had your heart opened by love and realised you were a different person? Waverly woke to a new life she knew was her destiny. Her lover lay beside her, sleeping peacefully, a light snore Waverly would never grow tired of. She was here, now, in this moment and it was perfect. Nicole shifted slightly, her arm moving across Waverly to keep her close. Waverly turned, kissing her gently on the forehead. To let her know she was in her bed. To say, I am never leaving you.

She could have stayed there forever. Let the world go to hell. This was all she wanted. Fighting for something, fighting for a world to be at peace with itself, no longer held its allure. She had won. She had the prize. That prize was the most beautiful woman she had ever met entering her life, lying next to her. Nicole stirred. She opened her eyes, still raw from the night they had spent together. “Hello, my angel.”

Waverly couldn’t speak. Tears welling.

“Hey, hey. What’s wrong?”

“I love you.”

Nicole looked at Waverly. The love was there. Could she bring herself to say it back? “My darling. You are everything to me. I never knew someone could capture my heart so completely.”

Waverly hugged Nicole as if her life depended on it. “Nikki, don’t ever let me go.”

It was Nicole's turn to cry.

Several hours later, Nicole suggested they really needed to do something other than stay in bed. Waverly, at first reluctant, agreed that perhaps they would enjoy the weekend more if they experienced something other than one room. Nicole recommended the lake. She would pack a picnic. They could take a leisurely stroll. Have lunch. Go for a swim.

Waverly looked hesitant. “I…I can’t swim.”

Nicole pulled her into an embrace. “My angel, but of course. Your wings would get wet.”

Waverly giggled. The raw confidence of Nicole was what first reeled her in. Nicole's ability to make her feel like the only person in the world kept her hooked. 

The lake was a short walk from the cottage. They made their way across the fields, holding hands, Nicole carrying the picnic basket, Waverly carrying a rug and two towels. Nicole found the spot her family used. Close enough to the lake to swim, discreet enough, not to be overlooked. There was no one around, which meant they had the lake to themselves that day. 

They sat and ate. They really did need sustenance, given the length of their love making. A short sleep, huddled together on the blanket, Nicole pulled Waverly up and told her to take her clothes off.

“What here!” she exclaimed.

Nicole looked at her, confused. “Oh, sorry. No. I mean. We could. I meant, it’s a great way to swim.”

She laughed, realising Waverly now had sex on the brain.

They stood naked at the edge of the lake. Waverly wasn’t sure stepping into the water was a good idea. She hovered nervously, until Nicole took her hand, guiding her, letting the coolness of the water enter her body. They moved slowly, Waverly finding her feet, feeling the water wash around her. Nicole still had hold of her hands, moving her body so she was facing her, letting Waverly feel the water take her weight. Nicole looked into her eyes. “Trust me. I won’t let you go.”

Sitting huddled in towels, Waverly had survived her first swimming lesson. She sat contemplating everything she had experienced. It was beyond words. She grabbed a small fruit knife from the basket, heading to the nearest tree. She stood for a while, carving something, Nicole, curious as to what she was doing, joined her. 

The message read:

W4N

Nicole lit a fire when they got back. They sat, entwined on the sofa, Nicole reading a book to Waverly. Waverly at peace with the world. They ate. They made love. They had each other. Sunday came too soon. They made their way back to Bletchley early afternoon, neither wanting the weekend to end. The house was quiet. Mavis was out, a note saying she would be back at 5pm to prepare the evening meal. Chrissy wouldn’t be back for hours. They had one more opportunity to be together. 

Nicole found a bottle of champagne in her drinks cabinet. Not chilled. Sacrilege. But, needs must. Bottle and two glasses in her hands, she headed to Waverly’s bedroom. Waverly was already in bed, smiling as Nicole entered. Champagne and Nicole, she thought, a perfect combination. They wasted no time. They let their love making express itself at full volume. Nicole was beside Waverly, licking an erect nipple, her hand between her legs, bringing her closer to the edge. They didn’t hear the front door close. They didn’t hear someone call out. They didn’t hear footsteps on the stairs. 

Chrissy heard movement in the room above her. Guessing Waverly was back, she went upstairs, eager to tell her how well the wedding had gone. That her advice had paid dividends and she felt more confident, more able to stand in her own intelligence than she had ever done before. She burst through the door ready to tell her friend everything. The sight that greeted her was not one she was expecting. Waverly, naked in bed, an equally naked Nicole in the middle of something that was making Waverly cry out with pleasure. She could see Waverly had her eyes closed, her body shaking, holding onto the metal bars above her head. She could hear her moans, Nicole moving her arm under the sheet, her lips on Waverly’s breast.

“What the…”

Nicole looked up. Startled by the intrusion. Unable to stop Waverly from reaching another orgasm. As Waverly came, Nicole screamed. “Get out.”

Their cover had been blown. Waverly, panting, unable to concentrate, it took her a few moments to come back into the room. Gathering herself, she realised what had happened. She needed to go to Chrissy. She grabbed her dressing gown and headed downstairs. Waverly knocked on her bedroom door. No answer. “Chrissy, please.” No answer. “Chrissy. I can explain.”

The door opened. Chrissy motioned for Waverly to enter. Chrissy sat on the bed, head down, not saying anything. Waverly didn’t know whether to stand, sit, hug her friend. New territory. “Chrissy, I…” There were no words. What could she say? That she was sleeping with her boss. That they had contrived situations behind Chrissy’s back. That they had lied to her. She couldn’t stop herself from crying. “Chrissy. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t tell you. I wanted to, so badly. But, I couldn’t.”

She had betrayed her good friend. How would she ever forgive her? Chrissy stood, moving towards Waverly, holding her in the warmest embrace she had ever felt. “Lamb chop, I guessed something was going on. You two were like animals on heat. I’m surprised the whole of Station X wasn’t gossiping about the sexual tension between you.”

Waverly was stunned. She knew Chrissy was extremely bright. She simply had assumed, like everyone else, the happy-go-lucky attitude she presented was all that was on offer to the world. There were depths to Chrissy few people were allowed to know. “Chrissy, I love you.”

“Steady tiger. One female lover at a time.”

Waverly laughed. Only Chrissy could be Chrissy in a moment like this. “I’m guessing you’re OK with this?” Waverly asked, wanting reassurance.

“My dear. Perfectly. But, it will cost you.” Waverly looked shocked. What would Chrissy demand? “Two bars of chocolate. That’s my price,” winking at Waverly.


	14. Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do others know about their relationship...

The day started like any other. Waverly and Chrissy busy with their translations, Nicole busily working on something at her desk. Alan entered the hut. A low murmur announced his presence, causing Waverly to look up. He stared at her, without smiling, moving to Nicole’s desk. He spent some moments whispering to her. She looked concerned, her eyes directly on Waverly. Waverly realised whatever Alan was saying involved her. 

She wondered if their secret had been revealed. That someone other than Chrissy had guessed what was going on between them. What if someone had seen them together? What if someone had simply sensed something was going on between them? There were a lot of clever people at Station X. Someone may have put two and two together. Or, in this case, one and one. Nicole beckoned for Waverly to approach her desk. “We need to go to the main house, now.”

They headed to the board room. A group of male officers were huddled round a table near the window, deep in discussion, failing to notice three people entering the room. “Are you certain the church has been searched thoroughly?”

“Lucien looked everywhere. He found nothing.”

“If we don’t get that information Station X is sunk.”

Alan announced their presence. “Gentlemen, this is Miss Earp. She may be of assistance.”

An elderly officer looked up. “Ah, good, Miss Earp, so pleased you could join us. We have a bit of a situation. A large military facility has been built not far from the village of Gabarret. A new system for sending coded messages is being developed there. One Alan has been trying to figure out with information he has already received. But we are missing key pieces of the puzzle. We've intercepted messages that say launch of the new system has been brought forward. It goes live shortly.”

He paused, pondering how to summarise the sequence of events that led to this moment. “A member of the resistance, Valerie Massenet, spent months gathering critical information. It was hidden in a secret location only she knew. She was about to send directions to that location. Now she is missing. We never received those directions. We need to get our hands on this information quickly. With your knowledge of Gabarret, you might be able to shed some light.”

“But, I know Valerie. She was my friend.”

The elderly officer scanned Waverly’s face, taking in what she had said. “She mentioned the word ‘Chimes’ in her last message. Those in the village we could ask do not know what this means. We assumed it might be shorthand, perhaps her word for the church, given its bells. We searched, but can find nothing. We’re at a loss.”

Waverly knew exactly where Valerie had hidden the information. “It’s not the church. It’s the tunnels. There’s an abandoned mine. Few in the village know about it. We found the entrance. It became our playground for Valerie and me. We called it the Chimes, because of the sound the wind makes inside.”

The elderly officer nodded. “Excellent. Lucien can search the tunnels. Waverly can direct him from here.”

“He won’t find our secret chamber. There are miles of tunnels. Valerie knew the information would be safe until she or someone she trusted with directions retrieved it. I would need to see, to feel those tunnels again to remember the route we took.”

Alan was quiet, pondering a thought, one he wished he didn’t have to consider. He had no choice. If she was the only other person who knew the layout of the tunnels. If the information was hidden in those tunnels, as Waverly suspected, they had to get her there fast. He looked at Waverly. “We need to get you in.”

Waverly looked nervously round the room. This was her moment. “I’ll go.”

Nicole was silent. She knew she couldn’t say anything in front of the other officers. Inside she was screaming. She motioned for Alan to step outside. “No. Absolutely No. She’s not going. She doesn’t understand the risk. She’s been sheltered here. She won’t survive in the field. It’s too dangerous. Alan, please, send me instead.”

“I don’t want her to go either. But, we are up against time. One person for the good of many.”

Nicole looked at Alan as if he had stabbed her through the heart. The words left her mouth. “I choose one person. Waverly. To hell with the many. Alan, she is my world. Do you understand?”

Alan understood. “I’m sorry Nikki, you do not have a say in this. We send her in.”

They returned to the room, Nicole ashen in the face, Alan crestfallen. The group were already discussing with Waverly how best to get her to the destination. She smiled as they entered, not realising what she was letting herself in for. 

The mission would be co-ordinated by Special Operations Executive (SOE), whose purpose was to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. Few people knew of SOE's existence. Those who were part of it were known as ‘Churchill's Secret Army.’ She would fly from RAF Tempsford, a secret airfield used exclusively by SOE to drop supplies and agents into Europe. It was a forty minute drive from Bletchley. She would be flown to France. A field operative would meet her and take her to the village. She would spend one night at a house, search the tunnels the next day, rendezvous with a plane to take her home. 

She would need to undergo training over the next few days, requiring her to go with SOE immediately to their base near the airfield. Nicole asked Alan to find them a private room to say their goodbyes. The look in Waverly’s eyes told Nicole she was scared. There were tears. Sad tears. Nicole desperately wanted to hold onto Waverly, never let her go. She had promised her she wouldn’t. The danger she was about to face broke her heart. How could she let her go, alone, into a situation from which she might not return? They hugged, kissed, cried, said they loved each other. 

Nicole watched as the car Waverly was in swept out of Station X.


	15. Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly goes to her new destiny....

Getting in and out of Gabarret would be risky. The small plane, carrying Waverly to her new destiny, landed in a remote field just before midnight. She hid in woods till dawn, making her way on foot to the railway station. She was still some miles from Gabarret. Lucien was there to meet her. A member of the resistence, like Valerie, he had been moved to the village after her disappearance to search for the hidden information. He would accompany Waverly, sitting apart on the train so not to link them. SOE had created false papers with a different name she would travel under. If anyone stopped her on route, her assumed identity was that of a secretary, offered work in Toulouse, visiting an uncle before she started the new job. The house where she would be staying was owned by another member of the resistance who had been alerted to their arrival.

The only problem was being recognised. She would stay in the village, despite the danger. It had been many years since she lived in Gabarret. She was older, her hair longer, she would be there no more than 24 hours max. She would be discreet in her movements, moving only when the streets were empty. Hopefully, not long enough in the village to raise suspicion, SOE calculated. Yet, someone in the village might see her, recognise her. It was a risk they needed to take.

Once in Gabarret, Waverly was to send one message to say she had arrived and was safe. She would send a second message once the tunnels had been searched. The signal if something went wrong was ‘Code Red.’ Lucien would provide the radio. She was taught how to send coded messages. From translating, she now was the one sending them. She sent her first message on arriving in Gabarret:

Location met. Cover held. W4N.

The person decoding the message was confused. ‘W4N’ didn’t fit the standard pattern. Alan showed the message to Nicole. She laughed. So Waverly.

Early next morning, she and Lucien made their way out of the village to the tunnels. The entrance was overgrown with brambles. Completely hidden. Easily missed if you didn’t know it was there. They could just make out where someone had cut a small gap, wide enough for one person to crawl through.They assumed this must have been Valerie. They stood in the entrance, the wind moving in the tunnels making the familiar wind chime sound Waverly remembered from her childhood. Lucien lit a lamp. 

They moved off in search of whatever Valerie had hidden. Waverly had been correct. Without personal knowledge of the tunnels, it would be extremely easy to get lost. She seemed to know her way instinctively, making turn after turn as she felt the walls for the notches they used as signposts to navigate their way. Turning a final corner, they entered a small chamber. The place where Waverly had stolen a kiss from Valerie. Lucien shone his lamp over the space in search of whatever Valerie had hidden. It was difficult to make out anything in the dim light. Suddenly, Waverly spotted a bulky leather folder wedged in a slit in the wall. Pulling it out, she opened it.

A full instruction manual, notes, detailed plans of the new coding machine, along with the missing information on the codes Alan and Nicole had been attempting to work out were inside. They needed to get this information to Station X. 

Making their way out of the tunnels, they ran to the village, slowing just before they entered the streets, checking no one was around, walking some distance apart. She was almost at the house. A woman opened her front door. A teacher from the school Waverly attended. She looked at Waverly, a look that said she thought she recognised her. She said nothing as Waverly passed. Waverly had taken a few steps. “Is that you, Waverly?”

Out of instinct, Waverly turned slightly at the mention of her name, enough to confirm to the woman it was her. She carried on walking. One leak. One slip. The woman had been in two minds to call in what she had seen. War changes people. Fear destroys friendship. Self survival becomes paramount. She knew Waverly had moved to England. Why was she in Gabarret? Why didn’t she stop? 

It was too risky to stay in the house. Lucien entered at the rear so as not to be seen. Waverly told him about the woman. He needed to move her immediately to another location, a restaurant in the village where Lucien pretended to be working. It had a cellar where she could hide until Lucien figured a way to get her out of the village. She would be safe for now, but she was in great danger. Lucien’s quick thinking had bought Waverly some time.

As he returned to the house, he could see two vehicles outside, the man pretending to be Waverly’s uncle talking to an officer, shrugging his shoulders. Lucien saw him being taken away in one of the vehicles. Several uniformed men exited the house carrying Waverly’s suitcase. They hadn’t found the radio. He waited until the coast was clear, entering the house at the rear to retrieve the hidden radio. His message:

Code Red. Information found. Waverly hidden.


	16. Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Waverly get out in time....

Lucien entered the cellar. A small candle provided the only light in an otherwise dark void. Waverly was sitting on a barrel next to a chest, which doubled as a table. The owner of the café had given her bread, cheese and wine. They sat on the chest untouched. Lucien could see she had been crying. “Hey, dry your eyes. It’s fine. You’re safe.”

Waverly looked up, attempting a smile, failing to make it look convincing. Lucien pulled up another barrel beside the chest, sitting to consider the situation. He had two tasks. He needed to get the information to SOE. He needed to get Waverly to safety. The question was, could he do both? He looked at her, pondering the options. She was about the same age as his sister, he being five years older. How could someone this young be doing what she was doing? Then again, how was he here? War had altered their paths. Kismet entwined their lives in this moment. “We need to get you and the folder out of here. The best time will be tonight. I will come for you. We walk to the next station, wait till it's light and get a train to the pick-up point. Your false papers should still be good once we’re outside the village.”

“I don’t have my papers. I left them in the suitcase.”

In her haste to get to the tunnels, Waverly had forgotten to take her identity documents with her. She had been instructed by SOE to keep them on her at all times. A small mistake now presented a big problem. Tears began to well in her eyes.

“Shit. The officers took your suitcase. Okay. Okay, we’ll get round this. It means we can’t travel by train, that's all. Too risky. I’ll have to get you to a pick-up point on foot. It will be difficult, but it can be done.” He stood up. He needed to make preparations with SOE. “You need to hide at the back behind those sacks. I will whistle twice to let you know it’s me. Listen, I won’t abandon you, I promise.”

Smiling, he turned towards the stairs, knowing in his heart this might be a promise he couldn’t keep. 

Alan ended his call with SOE. He looked at Nicole, a grave expression on his face. “Waverly has the information, but she’s in trouble. She’s hidden. Her cover was blown. SOE are sending a plane to a pick-up point five miles from the village. Lucien will try to get her out of the village tonight.”

“Get me on that plane.” Nicole shouted.

“I can’t. It would jeopardise the whole mission. I can’t do that. You know I can’t.”

“Alan, please. Let me go to her. She’s alone, she’s scared.” Tears welled in Nicole’s eyes.

“If there was any way. It’s too dangerous.”

“Alan, please. You of all people must understand I can’t abandon her. It would kill me. I’m begging you. Get me in there.”

He paused. Weighing up the options available to him. “If I get you in, you’re on your own, do you understand. There isn’t enough time to get false papers ready for you. You will have to go in as yourself and take your chances. I can’t protect you if anything happens. Do you understand?”

“Fully. Just get me there. I’ll handle the rest.”

Alan rang his counterpart at SOE. Completely against the rules, he pulled in a favour. “Thank you. Okay, fifty minutes, we’ll be there.”

Finishing the call, he moved to a small safe at the back of his office. Bending, he rotated the dial several times until its door opened. He removed several items. Returning to his desk, he laid out a pistol, bullets, a wallet and a small metal box. “This is all I can offer by way of protection. It’s not much, but it’s all I have.”

Nicole picked up the wallet. Inside were several hundred French francs. “Alan, I can’t.”

“It may buy you out of a situation.”

She turned her attention to the small box. “What’s that?”

“In case you can’t buy your way out of a situation.”

She opened it. Inside was a small capsule. She pushed the box back towards Alan. “I’m not taking that.”

“Listen to me Nikki. In the event you are captured, you and Waverly know too much. You will jeopardise the whole mission if that information leaks. I know you will do everything not to be captured, but in the event that you are…” he trailed off.

Nicole picked up the pill box and put it in her satchel. A thought crossed her mind. “There’s only one pill.”

Alan looked directly at Nicole. “Waverly took hers with her on the mission. She knows what she must do if they find her.”

Alan drove at speed to RAF Tempsford. Nicole was given male civilian clothes at the air base, reasoning it would be a better disguise for the relatively short time she would be in France. A flat cap covered her red hair. SOE officers carefully went through the route she needed to take once on the ground. She was handed a silk map, with instructions to burn it when no longer required. She would parachute in under cover of darkness. That would save some time, allowing her to get nearer to the village than a plane landing could. A field operative would meet her, taking her the short journey to where Waverly was being hidden. She had but a few hours to make the extraction. If she wasn’t back at the pick-up point in time, the mission would be aborted and she, with or without Waverly, would have to fend for herself. She was terrified. The risks of getting caught were enormous. She had to go.

Alan hugged her as she made her way to the door taking her to the runway. There were tears in his eyes. He knew what she was about to do. He knew she had to go.

Nicole hit the ground hard, winding herself. She sat momentarily trying to catch her breath. After several minutes, she was able to stand, gathering up her parachute, moving to the edge of the field she now found herself in. Once under the cover of trees, she got out the map, a lighter and a compass to work out the direction she needed to travel. She made her way towards the rendezvous point, watching for a signal from her contact. She waited. It felt like an eternity. She began to panic. What if no one came to meet her? What if she failed to get Waverly out?

A light flickered. She heard a man whistle twice. The signal. Her contact had arrived. “I’m Lucien. I’ll take you to her.”

They made their way to the edge of town. It was deserted. A curfew was in place, which meant they would have to move silently, using the alleyways and unlit streets. They moved off. Nicole followed behind, listening for any movement in the streets around them. Eventually they came to a restaurant. The sign over the entrance said: Le Jardin. 

A door in a side alley led to the kitchens. Lucien knocked four times. A young girl appeared, looking at Nicole. She beckoned them inside. The kitchen was dimly lit, just enough to make out shapes of equipment. An older man entered, motioning to follow. He opened the door to a large store cupboard at the rear of the kitchen, ushering them inside. The door shut, he turned on a light. Lucien opened the trap door to the cellar, descending first, a small lantern in his hand, which the older man had lit for him. It was dark in the void, the candle having gone out several hours earlier. It was difficult to make out the full extent of the space. Nicole followed, keeping close to Lucien in case she tripped.

Lucien whistled twice to announce his presence. There was a shuffling in the far corner. The light of the lantern didn’t reach that far. Nicole prayed it was Waverly. She saw her. Fragile, pale, her eyes red from crying. Heartbroken at the state she was in, Nicole rushed to comfort her. At first, Waverly didn’t recognise the person approaching, assuming it was a man. As Nicole drew near, the look of shock on Waverly’s face said everything. Overwhelmed by emotion, Nicole got to her just in time as her legs gave way, slumping into Nicole’s arms. 

Nicole held her, tears flowing uncontrollably, knowing she had found her. Brushing the hair away from her face, she gently shook Waverly. “Hello, my angel.” Unable to speak, Waverly simply stared in disbelief. “Listen, we don’t have much time. We need to get going.”

Nicole took the leather folder still in Waverly’s hands and put it in her satchel. She pulled out a small hip flask, telling Waverly to take a swig. She spluttered as the brandy hit the back of her throat. Revived, Nicole held her, moving towards the stairs. The old man was waiting at the top, extinguishing the lamp, before opening the door to the kitchen, Lucien leading the party out into the night.

They had passed a corner, several streets down from the restaurant, when they heard a truck approaching. Ducking into an unlit alley, the three hid until it had passed. Lucien motioned for them to be silent, as they made their way back onto the street. They needed to move quickly. They could see the woods, it was only a few hundred yards away. Waverly held onto Nicole as they made their way towards it. Nicole could feel her getting slower. The lack of food and fear of being caught were taking their toll on her. She stumbled, catching her foot on a raised stone, losing her balance. Nicole managed to catch her just in time. If she had fallen, the sound would have given away their position.

They made it to the woods just in time, as another truck sped past. The plane was five miles north. It would be a challenge to get to it in time, but it was their only chance. They set off at a pace, Lucien in front, Waverly in the middle, Nicole at the rear. Three miles in Waverly was exhausted. Desperately trying to keep up, she began to feel lightheaded. She knew she had to keep moving, but her body was spent. She slowed, panting, willing herself to move, unable to go on. Nicole caught up with her. “My love, we have to keep moving.”

Waverly knew this, but couldn’t. Lucien was some away ahead. Seeing they had stopped, he ran back, sweeping Waverly off her feet in a bridal lift. 

They could just make out the silhouette of the plane as they reached the edge of the field. It would be dangerous crossing open space to get to it. They had no choice. Nicole made her take another swig of brandy, taking one herself, offering the flask to Lucien. He took a long swig, handing it back to Nicole. He scouted the perimeter, returning to say the coast was clear. He shook Nicole’s hand, turning to Waverly to embrace her warmly before disappearing into the night. 

Nicole took Waverly’s hand. “We go on three, OK.”

Waverly nodded, waiting for the count. They made a break, keeping low, running as fast as they could. Nicole banged on the side to let the pilot know they were outside. The door opened. “We don’t have much time. Nearly went without you.”

Nicole and Waverly had made it. They were going home.


	17. Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly puts pressure on Nicole...

The target was the fuel tanks. A clean shot to take out the plane. Instead, the bullet pierced its thin metal body, punching a hole in Nicole’s shoulder from behind, exiting through the front. Waverly felt a sharp sting, as the bullet grazed her cheek, causing her to cry out. Nicole felt the forceful thud of the bullet’s entry. The searing pain. She gasped, the realisation she had been shot flooding her body. She couldn’t breathe. Agony, as she struggled to stay upright. She felt her shirt become wet. Waverly was shaking, the full impact of what had happened hitting her as hard as the bullet that had just entered and exited her lover. She couldn’t speak. Nicole blacked out.

Waverly screamed, going with Nicole as she slumped to the floor. The plane left the ground, the action causing Nicole to regain consciousness momentarily. An agonising moan left her lips. The pilot turned to say they were clear. He saw them on the floor, Waverly using her jacket to stem the blood pouring from the wound. “Help me, please.”

The pilot banked the plane to the right. “Put pressure on it. I’ll fly as fast as I can.”

Nicole let out another agonising moan as Waverly pushed down on the wound. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Stay with me.” 

They made it out of France, across the Channel, making their descent into RAF Tempsford. Nicole had drifted in and out of consciousness, Waverly stroking her hair, checking her breathing, holding her in her arms. She was covered in Nicole’s blood, too traumatised to care. The plane touched down. Nicole moved slightly, her lips attempting to say something, no words coming out. “I’m here, my darling, I’m here.”

The pilot had radioed ahead to let ground crew know he had an injured passenger. The ambulance ride was short. Waverly sat beside Nicole, holding her hand, looking for signs of her coming round. She was taken into surgery immediately. Waverly desperate to go with her, held back by a nurse. The nurse comforted her as she broke down seeing Nicole disappear through the double doors of the operating theatre. Still covered in blood, the nurse gently moved her to a side room, instructing another to find clean clothes. They bathed most of the blood off her hands, legs and face. They dressed the wound on her cheek.

Surgery was slow. Doctors operated on Nicole. It was touch and go. She had lost a lot of blood. Out of surgery, they moved her to a small room, allowing Waverly to see her. As she entered, Waverly could see Nicole unconscious, a drip in her left arm, significant bandaging on her right shoulder. She looked barely alive. Waverly felt her knees buckle. She reached for a trolley to keep upright. A nurse came in, grabbing her, just as she was about to fall. The action brought Waverly back into the room. She was helped to a chair, her face white, through exhaustion, through everything she had endured in the last 24 hours.

Waverly stayed with her the whole time. Nurses came and went, bringing food and drink, checking on Nicole. Alan arrived several hours after surgery. He looked pale, worried. He hugged Waverly. They sat together, holding hands, Waverly never letting Nicole’s hand go. He thanked Waverly for risking her life to save Station X. The information she retrieved had been handed over on arrival at RAF Tempsford. He had begun to go through it. It provided the missing pieces. He said she could have as much time off as necessary. There was no hurry to return to Station X. Her place was with Nicole.

Dr Holliday came in to check on his patient. A bushy moustache set him apart from the other clean-shaven doctors. He looked kind, concerned. He checked Nicole’s pulse, read her notes, nodded his head. “Close call, this one. If the bullet had been an inch to the left, she would not have survived.”

Waverly realised if the bullet had been an inch to the left she too would not have survived. That it merely grazed her cheek, was a miracle. 

Nicole stirred. She mumbled something, her voice a whisper. Waverly leant over, brushing a few strands of hair off her face. “Hey, I’m here. We made it.”

Nicole opened her eyes, looking round, unsure of her surroundings. She saw Waverly standing by her. She felt her hand holding hers. It took her a few moments to comprehend what was going on. “Did we get it?”

“Yes, it’s here. Alan has it. It’s fine.” Waverly paused, realising what Nicole had done for her, tears welling. “Nikki, I didn’t think I would make it. You rescued me.”

She wanted to embrace her. She wanted to kiss her. She knew she couldn’t. Not in the presence of the doctor. She squeezed Nicole’s hand, knowing a time would come when she would be able to say thank you fully to the woman who had saved her.

Waverly had been cosseted at Station X. Now she knew what was really going on beyond her cosy existence at Bletchley and it ripped her soul apart. The miserable realisation of a world against itself. How could people be so cruel to each other? Nicole had tried to warn her, but in her naiveté she had assumed it was just Nicole’s way of protecting her lover. She now knew Nicole was trying to protect her from the horrors man inflicts on man. She was older, wiser, less naïve. 

The girl who left RAF Tempsford had returned a woman.


	18. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the world be damned....

They retreated to the cottage. A sanctuary, far away from the world, where Nicole could have all the time she needed to recover. Progress was slow. She had lost almost all mobility in her shoulder. But, she was alive. Waverly was alive and that was all that mattered.

Waverly was there for her. At first, Nicole was frustrated not being able to do things for herself. Her stubborn independence fighting against someone else doing what she should do for herself. This was Waverly, not someone else. She needed to let Waverly take care of her. To love her. Once she let down her guard, the path was smooth. She could dress herself reasonably well, but let Waverly assist with the final buttons. She could bathe herself, but let Waverly caress her body. She let Waverly take the lead in the bedroom, bringing her body to the edge, letting it tumble into ecstacy, as her lover sensuously gave pleasure. Waverly dressed her wound, made the meals, tended the house. 

They were, for all intents and purposes, a married couple. Roles assigned, duties accepted, they were happy. In an era which did not permit them to be a married couple publically, they could go about their own business in the secrecy of the cottage. Let the world be damned.

They walked to the shops daily to collect provisions. Nicole would not be able to drive for quite some time. She rang her brother, Robin, who was only too pleased to lend her one of his cars. He rolled up one Saturday morning in a rather swish sports car, on loan for the duration of Nicole's stay at the cottage. Nicole introduced Waverly to Robin as her carer. She would teach Waverly how to drive to give them more freedom. He was adorable. Younger, equally good looking, equally tall, without the red hair. Waverly liked him instantly. They chatted for hours. He joked if Nicole was teaching her how to drive she would end up a racing driver. It was a lovely afternoon. He left, just before 4pm, a friend picking him up. The horn sounding as they sped off into the evening. 

Waverly was a quick learner, as Nicole had already recognised. She took to driving effortlessly. Not a fast driver like Nicole, she loved the control, the freedom it allowed. They had days out. Nicole taking her to places she had never been. The essence of their relationship. 

They paid a visit to Chrissy. She was staying with Alan at his house. She missed her friend dearly, but understood the world had changed and things needed to move on. They hugged for ages. Chrissy informed Waverly she and Alan played chess every night. She was getting rather good at it. He supplied the chocolate. Waverly was pleased. Alan appeared happy to have someone like Chrissy staying with him. Who wouldn’t? She made the world so much lighter. Her joy was infectious and you could see Alan smiling quietly as Chrissy relayed yet another story of their outings to restaurants. 

Waverly had written to James. She explained, while she was fond of him, her time at Bletchley had changed her and she felt she was no longer the girl he had dated. She wished him well, hoped he would find someone who would walk by the pond, holding his hand, feeding the ducks. He wrote a lovely letter in reply, saying he was happy for her and wished her all the best. 

Swimming lessons were progressing. Waverly could now swim unaided, enjoying the freedom of the water as much as she enjoyed the freedom of the road. They spent hours by the lake, basking in the sunshine, making love. They were lying on the rug one day, when Waverly remembered the carving she had made in the tree. She rummaged around, searching for the one she had vandalised. Nicole watched, confused. “There it is!” she exclaimed, finding the trunk. “W4N. Did you see my message to you from France?”

She had, but had sought to push everything that had happened to the farthest recesses of her mind. So many bad memories. Ones she didn’t want to entertain any more. Waverly returned to the rug, picking at a thread, lost in thought. Nicole sensed something was bothering her. “You OK?”

“Yes, fine. Sorry. It’s just. Do you ever think of France? I mean, what happened. I try not to. It’s just. There are memories.” Nicole knew those memories played on Waverly’s mind. Nights she had heard her cry out as a nightmare took hold. She had soothed her in her sleep. Let her work through the demons chasing her in her dreams. “I sometimes feel I’m still in France. It’s just. Having to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. Having to keep up a false identity. Not able to be myself. It’s what we have to do here. Not able to show the world who we are. What we are. You and me.”

She paused, gathering her thoughts. Knowing what she wanted to say was but a pipedream. “I wish for a world where we, us, are accepted. You know, be together, without having to pretend we’re not.”

Nicole nodded, knowing it was not a wish that would come true for them in their lifetime. The one thing that played most on Nicole’s mind from France was the pill box Alan had handed her. The pill inside contained poison. Enough of a dose to kill quickly. To have to make that decision, to have the choice, the means, to take your own life, weighed on Nicole. She knew she would have had to take this route if captured. She was thankful the choice hadn’t presented itself. “Waves, that capsule SOE gave you. Would you have taken it?”

Waverly was silent. She had completely forgotten about it. In all that had occurred, it was not something she dwelt upon. It had been part of the training given by SOE. It hadn’t registered, until now. “I’m not sure. I think if there was no way out I may have.”

It was Nicole’s turn to be silent. Waverly continued to ponder the scenario. She seemed to be weighing up all the factors that would bring her to make such a decision. Finally, she knew what she would have done. “You know what. I don’t think I would. I know it was really scary at times. But there’s always hope. There’s always the possibility of things turning a corner in your favour. I think I would have held on till the very last. And look, you showed up. That proves my point.”

That’s why Nicole loved her. This woman knew how to find the good in the world, the light, no matter how bad things were. 

A month at the cottage had allowed Nicole time to heal. She still had a long way to go in her recovery, but she needed to return to Station X, to help Alan. They both wanted to stay forever in their cosy idyll, but the world called. They said goodbye to the cottage one rainy Sunday morning, both sad, both hopeful for their future. Station X remained active due in no small part to their heroism. Alan had been able to use the information successfully. 

They pulled up outside the house. Waverly driving, Nicole rolling her eyes at the lack of speed. She teased her about not putting her foot down, about being an ‘Alan’ driver. Waverly didn’t care. She was enjoying the power she had over Nicole. She knew it was secretly driving her mad. Getting the cases out of the boot, they opened the door. The house was quiet. They made their way along the hall. Waverly heard someone giggle in the dining room. She opened the door.

“Surprise!”

Alan and Chrissy were there, a small feast laid on to welcome them home. It looked like Chrissy had already started on the sandwiches. They hugged. Alan opened a bottle of champagne, which sprayed everywhere, Nicole rolling her eyes. They ate, they drank, they talked. The gang was back together again. They moved to the lounge, where Chrissy managed the record player. Alan had brought with him several bars of chocolate, which they sat and ate, enjoying each other’s company. They were looking forward to working together again.

The weeks passed. They resumed their happy existence, moving between the house and Station X. There seemed to be a new energy at the base. The ability to decode messages being sent using the new system was having a significant impact in shortening the duration of the conflict. It would only be many years later that the efforts at Bletchley Park would come to be fully appreciated. For now, they were glad to be doing their bit.

Alan came rushing into the hut, waving his arms around, as if being chased by a wasp. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at the spectacle. Nicole sat laughing, assuming Alan had finally done one calculation too many and had lost the plot. Waverly looked at Chrissy, who was equally amused, having come to know Alan quite well. “We’ve done it. We’ve only gone and bloody done it.”

Date: May 8 1945 

War had ended.


	19. Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's to new adventures.....

Having grown accustomed to adventure, Nicole and Waverly knew they couldn’t return to their old lives. They decided to travel, see where the compass led them. With Nicole’s inheritance, money each had saved, plus a small pension Nicole would receive, they had sufficient finances to go where their hearts desired. 

They went first to North America, believing this would be a refreshing change from the battle-weary Europe they were leaving behind. They flew into New York on a rainy Tuesday, spending several weeks enjoying the buzz of the city. Someone suggested Florida, another California, Texas was even mentioned, which appealed. They loved the freedom, the way things were done in this new continent. The fashion. Most of all they loved silk stockings which were in abundance, along with chocolate. Chrissy visited several times. She loved everything about America, so much so, she stayed marrying a diplomat who enjoyed fine dining. She was blissfully happy, putting on a few pounds before realising she was eating for a little Chrissy. Nicole and Waverly were overjoyed when they heard the news, attending the christening along with Alan in Washington DC. 

It was Nicole who suggested they visit Canada. She had always wanted to and well, they were near enough! They started on the east coast, but the west beaconed and they eventually bought a small plot of land with a beautiful house overlooking a lake just outside Calgary. Somewhere to return to after their travels were done. It was cold in the wintertime, but that suited them perfectly snuggling up by an open fire, reading to each other, dancing. Swimming in open lakes was off the menu, given the sub-zero temperatures for much of the year. Alan visited, staying for a few days. It was too cold for him. The idea of wearing multiple layers to leave the house never appealed. He preferred light suits, adding a pullover only if the weather turned inclement, which it had a tendency to do in England. 

Waverly fancied South America. Somewhere warm. They spent months in Brazil, getting lost, finding themselves. There were hot nights under the stars, making love on secluded beaches, drinking cocktails at small bars in remote villages. It was perfection. No, it was heaven on earth. They didn’t want to leave. It was lively and Brazilians seemed to accept everyone and everything. They could go out and not worry about being together. Alan visited. This time it was too hot for him, looking flustered no matter what time of day it was. They decided he was best suited to a more moderate European climate and waved him off at the airport one particularly steamy afternoon. 

They had been travelling for a little over two years, when Nicole received a telegram. Their heroic actions in Gabarret had been brought to the attention of a certain Commander of a newly formed Intelligence Unit. He was looking to pull together an elite group of agents, capable of going above and beyond the call of duty. What they were about to embark on made their adventures at Station X look like a walk in the park, with or without the feeding of any ducks.

It would be safe to say, they worked exceptionally well together as a ‘spy’ team, as one would imagine. 

The next phase of their lives really is a thrilling story to tell.

Ah, but it’s a secret.

\----

POSTSCRIPT:

I hope you enjoyed this brief trip down memory lane. There were so many other stories used in its creation. 

The most endearing is that told by Sarah Baring (nee Norton), aka Vicountess Astor as Chrissy would undoubtedly know! She worked at Bletchley Park, as a translator. Her book ‘The Road to Station X’ is hilarious. The adventures of an upper class gal thrown into the war effort. 

Another story I’ve drawn heavily on is that of Yvonne Baseden. Field name: Odette.

According to Wikipedia: She was one of the youngest SOE women (aged 22) to be dropped by parachute into occupied France. Baseden left from RAF Tempsford on the night of 18/19 March 1944. She parachuted into France with Gonzague Saint Geniès, a French operative (Field name: Lucien). They parachuted into South West France, very close to the village of Gabarret. The local resistance hid them for a few days, then she made her own way across France, her wireless equipment travelling separately, to Jura in Eastern France, where she worked for four months as a wireless operator. Her cover story: she was Mademoiselle Yvonne Bernier, a shorthand typist and secretary.

The most fascinating part of the Bletchley story is its contribution to modern computing. Colossus was the first programmable computer in the world. It was used at Bletchley Park as the codebreaker of the Lorenz cipher, providing valuable military intelligence. Colossus is the foundation stone for the computers we use today. It typifies the proverb: necessity is the mother of invention. 

Vicountess Astor would be very pleased her wartime efforts now allow us to tell tales of adventure online!

(If you want to feel the era of this story listen to: It's Been a Long, Long Time - Kitty Kallen...it was a hit at the end of World War 2 as lovers reunited).

In love and light…


End file.
